How a Boat Guides Air and Underwater Drones for Data Collection

This patent describes a system where a watercraft follows a planned route, guiding an aerial drone that stays a fixed distance ahead, which in turn tows a tethered underwater drone to collect combined air and sea data.

What it covers

The system uses a "base station" which is a watercraft following a "pre-determined path of travel" (Claim 1). An "unmanned aerial drone" receives this path information and "autonomously calculate[s] an aerial drone path that directly correlates" with the base station's route (Claim 1). This aerial drone travels at a "fixed distance" from the watercraft (Claim 1) and collects data from the air. Crucially, a "submersed drone" is "physically tethered" to the aerial drone (Claim 1), allowing it to traverse underwater and collect data. The submersed drone sends its data to the aerial drone, which then combines both aerial and underwater sensor data into "target location data" (Claim 1). For example, a research ship could map a coral reef by sending an aerial drone ahead, which then lowers a camera-equipped underwater drone to capture images of the reef while the ship follows safely behind.

What it doesn't cover

• —Does not cover systems where the base station is not a watercraft, such as a land vehicle or an aircraft.
• —Does not cover systems where the aerial drone does not maintain a "fixed distance" from the base station during travel.
• —Does not cover systems where the submersed drone is not "physically tethered" to the aerial drone.
• —Does not cover systems where the aerial drone's path does not "directly correlate" with the base station's pre-determined path.
• —Does not cover systems where the aerial drone simply follows the base station, rather than leading it.

The clever bit

The novelty lies in the specific coordinated movement: a watercraft guides an aerial drone that *leads* it at a fixed distance, and that aerial drone *tows* a submersed drone. This setup allows for simultaneous, multi-domain data collection (air and underwater) with the leading drones anticipating the base station's movement, rather than merely following.

Why it matters

This patent addresses the challenge of efficiently collecting comprehensive environmental data in marine environments, combining both aerial and underwater perspectives. By coordinating a watercraft with leading air and submersed drones, it allows for simultaneous data collection across different mediums, which can be critical for tasks like oceanographic research, marine biology studies, or infrastructure inspection. The coordinated movement aims to streamline operations and improve data accuracy by maintaining relative positions.

Real-world examples

• 1.Oceanographic survey missions
• 2.Marine habitat mapping
• 3.Underwater pipeline inspection
• 4.Search and rescue operations in coastal areas
• 5.Environmental monitoring of water bodies