Unmanned surface vehicle for deploying and / or retrieving a tethered, unmanned underwater vehicle

Abstract

An unmanned surface vehicle (20) for deploying and / or retrieving a cable-connected, unmanned underwater vehicle (22) is disclosed. The unmanned surface vehicle comprises a winch (24) for rolling up and / or unrolling a connecting cable (26) for connecting the unmanned surface vehicle (20) to the cable-connected, unmanned underwater vehicle (22). The unmanned surface vehicle further comprises a deployment device (28) for deploying the cable-connected, unmanned underwater vehicle (22) from the unmanned surface vehicle (20) into the water (36) surrounding the unmanned surface vehicle (20) and / or a retrieval device (30) for retrieving the cable-connected, unmanned underwater vehicle (22) from the water surrounding the unmanned surface vehicle (20).

Description

The invention relates to the integration of an unmanned underwater vehicle in existing sequences at sea, for example the mine jagd.The equipment of military riders, including the marine, is not very dynamic, inter alia because of the high purchase price of individual vehicles. The vehicles, for example ships, have a service life of 40 years or longer. Nevertheless, the technique continues to develop continuously. This is integrated into the vehicles if possible if it brings with it operational advantages. It has now been found that the use of cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle, so-called remotely operated vehicle (ROV), can have great operational advantages. Cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicles can thus be used as a depth-variable sonar and operate independently of any jump layers in the water, which make objects appear virtually invisible from the surface or whose location cannot be reliably localized by the surface. The use of such a depth-variable sonar has, for example, a positive effect on the detection probability in mine jagd. However, it can also be advantageous for bi- or multistatic positioning methods or underwater communication to be able to use an (active) sonar at different depths of submergence. The integration of the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicles into existing ships is however possible only with very great effort. In particular, a winch for handling the connecting cable and a collection and discharge device would have to be installed on the existing ship.The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved concept for cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicles.The object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.Exemplary embodiments show an unmanned surface vehicle for deploying and / or retrieving a cable-bound, unmanned surface vehicle. The unmanned surface vehicle can operate autonomously, operate remotely (e.g. by means of radio or via connecting cable), or be towed by means of a traction means (such as a towed body, similar to a trailer), e.g. behind a manned surface vehicle, for example a mine jagdboat.The unmanned surface vehicle comprises a winch for rolling up and / or rolling down the connecting cable for connecting the unmanned surface vehicle to the cable-bound, unmanned surface vehicle. The rolling up or rolling down of the connecting cable comprises in particular the insertion and removal of the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle and also the handling of the connecting cable during the operation.The unmanned surface vehicle further comprises a delivery device for exposing the cable-bound unmanned surface vehicle from the unmanned surface vehicle into the water surrounding the unmanned surface vehicle and / or a collection device for collecting the cable-bound unmanned surface vehicle from the water surrounding the unmanned surface vehicle. The removal of the cable-bound, unmanned underwater vehicle can be carried out on board the unmanned surface vehicle. The cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle can likewise be obtained on board the unmanned surface vehicle. However, it is also possible, for example, for the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle to be mechanically connected to the unmanned surface vehicle and towed in the water in order to obtain the cable-bound unmanned surface vehicle.The idea is to create a separate system in order to be able to use cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicles in any operation without changes to existing manned surface vehicles. For this purpose, the unmanned surface vehicle can travel with a manned surface vehicle, in particular be controlled by the same, or be towed by the manned surface vehicle. Communication between unmanned surface vehicle and manned surface vehicle enables the data exchange in practice as if the cable-bound unmanned surface vehicle were part of the manned surface vehicle. In this respect, a system comprising a manned surface vehicle and the unmanned surface vehicle with the cable-bound, unmanned surface vehicle is also disclosed. Manned surface vehicle and unmanned surface vehicle can each have communication units, in particular radio units, in order to establish the communication between the unmanned surface vehicle and the manned surface vehicle.Embodiments show that the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle has a sonar system, wherein the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle is designed to transmit data of the sonar system to the unmanned surface vehicle by means of the connecting cable. This allows higher data rates for the data exchange, e.g. in comparison with subsea communication. The connecting cable can therefore be a data cable or comprise this. An electrical or optical connecting cable is suitable as the data cable, for example. Bidirectional communication is also possible.In further exemplary embodiments, the unmanned underwater vehicle comprises a communication unit which is designed to transmit data, in particular data from the cable-bound, unmanned underwater vehicle, to a base station. The data from the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle can be the data of the sonar system. However, data from other sensors, for example images or video from a camera, can also be sent to the unmanned surface vehicle. Bidirectional communication, for example with control signals for the unmanned surface vehicle, is likewise possible.Additionally or alternatively, the connecting cable can produce a power supply from the unmanned surface vehicle to the cable-bound, unmanned surface vehicle. The power supply can be part of the (electrical) data cable or the connecting cable can have a (separate) power cable, independently of the data cable.Further exemplary embodiments show the unmanned surface vessel as a multi-hull vessel. Multi-hull vessels have two or more hulls. Examples of watercraft with two fuselages are catamarans or what is known as Swath (small waterplane area twin hull).Advantageously, as a recovery device in a multi-hull watercraft, a cable is tensioned between two hulls. This makes it possible to capture the cable with a catching device of the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle in order to retrieve the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle from the water surrounding the unmanned underwater vehicle. The catching device can furthermore advantageously be closed when the cable is caught, so that there is a mechanical connection between multi-hull watercraft and cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle. A carabiner is suitable as a catch device, for example. If the safety catch is lockable, the safety catch can advantageously be opened if necessary in order to lift the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle on board the multi-hull watercraft. This can be effected, for example, by means of a crane.That is to say that the collection, but also the removal of the cable-bound, unmanned underwater vehicle, can be carried out by means of a crane. The recovery device and / or the application device can accordingly have a crane. In the case of a multi-hull watercraft, it is advantageous to place the cable-bound, unmanned underwater vehicle between two hulls of the multi-hull watercraft into the surrounding water or to obtain it from the surrounding water.It has been found that a lower wave path prevails between the fuselages of the multi-fuselage watercraft than outside (i.e. in front of, behind or next to) the multi-fuselage watercraft, so that the cable-bound, unmanned underwater vehicle can be recovered more easily. However, it is also possible, in particular using the same crane, to rescue the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle outside the multihull watercraft or in front of, behind or next to the unmanned (single-hull) surface watercraft, e.g. a ship.In exemplary embodiments, the unmanned surface vehicle can comprise the cable-bound, unmanned surface vehicle. This can also be regarded as a system comprising the unmanned surface vehicle and the cable-bound unmanned surface vehicle.In further exemplary embodiments, the recovery device comprises a full ring or partial ring which is guided into the surrounded water and has a flexible material on the surface, and wherein an inner diameter of the ring is matched to an outer diameter of the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle, such that the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle can enter the ring and is fixed by the ring. It is thus possible to fix the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle at least temporarily to the unmanned surface vehicle. This facilitates the picking up of the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle on board the unmanned surface vehicle, for example by means of the crane.In exemplary embodiments, the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle has a sonar system which is designed to detect objects in the direction of travel of the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle. This enables the use of the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle as a depth-variable sonar.In further exemplary embodiments, the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle has a camera. For example, the identification of a sea mine after its detection is made possible. The detection of the sea mine can be effected by means of the sonar of the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle or by means of a sonar of a manned surface vehicle.Analogously, a method for deploying and / or retrieving a cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle by means of an unmanned surface vehicle is disclosed, comprising the following steps: a) rolling up and / or rolling down a connecting cable for connecting the unmanned surface vehicle to the cable-bound unmanned surface vehicle; b) exposing the cable-bound unmanned surface vehicle from the unmanned surface vehicle into the water surrounding the unmanned surface vehicle; and / or c) retrieving the cable-bound unmanned surface vehicle from the water surrounding the unmanned surface vehicle.Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It shows: FIG. 1 : shows a schematic rear view of an unmanned underwater vehicle for deploying and / or retrieving a cable-bound, unmanned underwater vehicle.Before exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings, it is pointed out that identical, functionally identical or identically acting elements, objects and / or structures are provided with the same reference numerals in the different figures, with the result that the description of these elements shown in different exemplary embodiments is interchangeable or can be applied to one another.FIG. 1 shows a schematic rear view of an unmanned surface vehicle 20 by way of example in the form of a multi-hull watercraft for the extraction and / or retrieval of a cable-bound unmanned surface vehicle 22. Furthermore, the unmanned surface vehicle comprises a discharge device 28 and a recovery device 30. a crane is shown as a discharge device 28, for example. The latter can lower the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle 22 into the water 36 through an opening in the casing 32 of the multi-hull watercraft 20 between the two hulls 34 a, 34 b.The or at least a part of the collection device is a cable 30 tensioned between the fuselages 34 a, 34 b. By means of a catching device 38, e.g. a hook, the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle 22 can catch the cable 30 and thus, for example, establish a loadable mechanical connection with the unmanned surface vehicle 20. The crane 28 is optionally also part of the recovery device, for example if the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle 22 is to be lifted on board the unmanned above-water vehicle 20.It should be noted that instead of the rope and the crane, alternative pick-up or discharge devices can also be used. For example, the collection of the cable-bound, unmanned underwater vehicle can be effected by driving onto a ramp. The suspension of the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle can likewise take place via the ramp.The unmanned surface vehicle 20 can be connected physically (e.g. by means of a traction cable) or communicatively (e.g. by means of a data cable or by radio) to a base station 40. The base station can be any platform, for example a manned surface ship or a landing station.The cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle 22 can have a sonar system 42 and / or a camera 44.Although some aspects have been described in connection with a device, it is understood that these aspects also represent a description of the corresponding method, so that a block or a component of a device is also to be understood as a corresponding method step or as a feature of a method step. Analogously, aspects described in connection with or as a method step also represent a description of a corresponding block or detail or feature of a corresponding device.The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. It is to be understood that modifications and variations of the arrangements and details described herein will be apparent to others skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of the following claims and not by the specific details presented herein by way of description and explanation of the embodiments.List of reference numbers:20 Unmanned surface vessel 22 cable-bound unmanned surface vessel 24 winch 26 cable 28 application device, illustrated as crane 30 recovery device, illustrated as cable 32 casing of the multi-hull vessel 34 a,b hull of the multi-hull vessel 36 water 38 catching device 40 base station 42 sonar system 44 camera

Claims

Unmanned surface vehicle (20) for deploying and / or retrieving a cable-bound unmanned surface vehicle (22), having the following features: - a winch (24) for rolling up and / or unrolling a connecting cable (26) for connecting the unmanned surface vehicle (20) to the cable-bound unmanned surface vehicle (22); - a deployment device (28) for deploying the cable-bound unmanned surface vehicle (22) from the unmanned surface vehicle (20) into the water (36) surrounding the unmanned surface vehicle (20), and / or a retrieval device (30) for retrieving the cable-bound unmanned surface vehicle (22) from the water surrounding the unmanned surface vehicle (20).Unmanned underwater vehicle (20) according to claim 1, - wherein the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle (22) has a sonar system (42), wherein the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle (22) is configured to transmit data of the sonar system to the unmanned underwater vehicle (20) by means of the connecting cable.Unmanned underwater vehicle (20) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a communication unit which is designed to transmit data, in particular data, from the cable-bound, unmanned underwater vehicle (22) to a base station (40).Unmanned surface vehicle (20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting cable (26) produces a power supply from the unmanned surface vehicle (20) to the cable-bound, unmanned surface vehicle (22).Unmanned surface vehicle (20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the unmanned surface vehicle is a multi-hull watercraft.Unmanned surface vehicle (20) according to claim 5, wherein a cable is tensioned between two fuselages of the multi-fuselage watercraft as the recovery device (30), such that a catching device (38) of the cable-bound unmanned surface vehicle (22) can catch the cable in order to recover the cable-bound unmanned surface vehicle from the water (36) surrounding the unmanned surface vehicle to the unmanned surface vehicle (20).Unmanned surface vessel (20) according to one of claims 5 or 6, wherein the recovery device (30) and / or the application device (28) has a crane which is designed to place the cable-bound unmanned surface vessel (22) between two fuselages (34a, 34b) of the multi-fuselage vessel into the surrounded water or to recover it from the surrounded water.Unmanned surface vehicle (20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the unmanned surface vehicle comprises the cable-bound, unmanned surface vehicle (22).Unmanned surface vessel (20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the recovery device (30) has a (full or partial) ring which is guided into the surrounded water (36) and has a flexible material on the surface, and wherein an inner diameter of the tire is matched to an outer diameter of the cable-bound unmanned surface vessel, such that the cable-bound unmanned surface vessel can enter the ring and is fixed by the ring.Unmanned underwater vehicle (20) according to one of claims 8 or 9, wherein the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle has a sonar system (42) which is designed to detect objects in the direction of travel of the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle.Unmanned underwater vehicle (20) according to one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle has a camera (44).Method for deploying and / or retrieving a cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle (22) by means of an unmanned surface vehicle (20), comprising the following steps: a) rolling up and / or rolling down a connecting cable (26) for connecting the unmanned surface vehicle (20) to the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle (22); b) exposing the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle (22) from the unmanned surface vehicle (20) into the water (36) surrounding the unmanned surface vehicle (20); and / or c) retrieving the cable-bound unmanned underwater vehicle (22) from the water (36) surrounding the unmanned surface vehicle (20).

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