SELF-DRIVED OR REMOTELY CONTROLLED MEDIA CHANGE MACHINE

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an autonomous or remotely controlled device capable of changing environments.

[0002] Such a device is, for example, a drone. Such drones are, for example, known from documents CN 106 926 654 A, US 2019 / 031339 A1, US 2021 / 061458 A1 or US 2021 / 001700 A1.

[0003] On the one hand, we are familiar with aerial drones, which are quick and easy to deploy for aerial missions, particularly long-distance missions. Such drones are not designed to dive underwater for underwater missions. On the other hand, we are familiar with underwater drones, which enable underwater missions such as conducting underwater acoustic measurements. However, deploying underwater drones is a delicate operation and requires, in particular, a mechanical system to launch the drone from a platform, such as a surface vessel.

[0004] One of the aims of the invention is to overcome these drawbacks by providing an autonomous or remotely controlled device capable of carrying out underwater missions without being launched from a mechanical device on a carrier, such as a winch for example.

[0005] For this purpose, the invention relates to an autonomous or remotely controlled medium-change vehicle, comprising a structure on which are mounted at least one propulsion assembly, a ballast system and at least one payload, the vehicle being watertight, at least the ballast system being reversibly mounted on the structure by at least one clip element.

[0006] By selecting a suitable propulsion system for moving the craft in the air or underwater, the medium-change craft according to the invention allows the user to benefit from the advantages of both aerial and underwater craft thanks to the ballast system that enables the craft to dive underwater. The craft can thus take off from a starting point, which may be on land or far from the target, and dive underwater at the desired location without having been launched from a mechanical device on a surface vessel. It can therefore be operated from a surface vessel that does not have such a mechanical device. The fact that the ballast system is reversibly attached to the craft's structure by at least one clip element allows such a ballast system to be mounted on an existing aerial craft to make it capable of operating underwater.

[0007] The medium-change device according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following features, considered alone or in any technically feasible combination: The ballasting system comprises a piston that moves in translation within a tube. A chamber with an internal volume is defined between the tube and the piston. The movement of the piston within the tube causes a change in the internal volume of the chamber, thereby altering the buoyancy of the vessel. The piston's movement is driven by a wheel mounted on a motorized worm gear. The structure comprises at least one longitudinal crossbeam. The clipping element includes a body integral with the ballasting system and at least one hook reversibly fixed to the longitudinal crossbeam. The structure comprises at least two substantially parallel longitudinal crossbeams. The clipping element includes two hooks extending from two opposite ends of the body, each hook reversibly fixed to one of the longitudinal crossbeams.The payload includes at least one of the following devices: an underwater acoustic signature acquisition device, an underwater electromagnetic signature acquisition device, an underwater decoy device, or an underwater noise emission device. The propulsion system includes at least one propeller capable of moving the craft in air and underwater. The propeller's rotational speed is reduced when the craft is moved underwater compared to the propeller's rotational speed when the craft is moved in air.

[0008] Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become clearer upon reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: [ Fig. 1 ] - there Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective representation of a medium-change device according to the invention, [ Fig. 2 ] - there Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective representation of a detail of the Fig. 1 , showing more specifically the ballast system of the engine, and [ Fig. 3 ] - there Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective representation of a clip element used to attach the ballast system to the structure of the machine.

[0009] With reference to the Fig. 1 A self-propelled or remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) is described, comprising a structure (2) on which are mounted at least one propulsion system (4), a ballast system (6), and at least one payload (8). Such an RPV is designed to be able to move in the air and underwater and is therefore watertight, particularly to water, for example, to a depth of at least 30 m. An example of such a vehicle is an autonomously piloted aerial and underwater drone, i.e., without the intervention of an operator, or a remotely piloted drone, i.e., with the intervention of a pilot located at a distance from the vehicle (RPV).

[0010] Structure 2 is arranged to support the various components of the medium-change craft 1 both when it moves in air and when it moves in water, while remaining relatively lightweight to reduce the size of the propulsion system 4. Structure 2 includes, for example, at least one longitudinal cross member 10 to which the various components of the craft are attached. In one embodiment, structure 2 includes at least two substantially parallel longitudinal cross members 10 extending along the length of the craft 1 and spaced apart according to the width of the craft, as shown in the figure. Fig. 1 .

[0011] The propulsion system 4 is arranged to allow the autonomous or remotely controlled movement of the medium-change vehicle 1 in the air and underwater. For this purpose, the propulsion system 4 includes, for example, at least one propeller 12 mounted for rotation on the structure 2. According to the embodiment shown in the Fig. 1The propulsion system 4 comprises four propellers 12, such that the medium-change vehicle 1 forms a quadcopter. The propellers 12 are, for example, mounted on transverse crossbeams 14 of the structure 2, each extending near the ends of the longitudinal crossbeams 10 and in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal crossbeams 10. The propeller(s) 12 are arranged to allow the medium-change vehicle to be moved and steered both in the air and underwater. To this end, the propeller(s) 12 are, for example, steerable and capable of rotating at different speeds, the rotational speed of the propeller(s) 12 being lower when the medium-change vehicle 1 is underwater than the rotational speed of the propeller(s) 12 when the vehicle 1 is in the air.

[0012] The propeller(s) 12 are controlled by an electronic device 16 of the medium-change vehicle 1, comprising a power supply battery 18 and a control unit 20. The electronic device 16 is, for example, housed in a hermetically sealed enclosure 22 mounted on the structure 2, for example between and below the longitudinal cross members 10. The connecting cables from the electronic device 16 to the propeller(s) 12 are placed in watertight sheaths. The enclosure 22 is, for example, in the form of a tube closed at both ends and is, for example, clipped onto the longitudinal cross members 10, as will be described in more detail later.

[0013] The ballast system 6 is arranged to modify the buoyancy of the medium-change craft 1, enabling it to float on the water, dive underwater, or maintain itself at a given depth, depending on the filling state of the ballast system 6. For this purpose, the ballast system 6 includes, for example, a piston 24 that moves in translation within a tube 26 and defines, together with the tube, a chamber with an internal volume 28 that varies according to the position of the piston 24 within the tube 26. The internal volume 28 is arranged, for example, to be filled with air or, alternatively, with water. Thus, when the internal volume 28 is filled with air, the increase in the internal volume 28 increases the buoyancy of the medium-change craft 1. At the surface, the internal volume 18 thus has its maximum value, allowing the craft 1 to float on the surface.By reducing the internal volume 28 by moving the piston 24 inside the tube 26 to decrease the air volume, the buoyancy of the device decreases and it can dive below the surface of the water. When the internal volume 28 is filled with water, the increase in the internal volume 28 reduces the buoyancy of the medium-change device 1. At the surface, the internal volume 18 thus has its minimum value for the device 1 to float. By increasing the internal volume 28 by moving the piston 24 inside the tube 26 to increase the water volume, the buoyancy of the device decreases and it can dive below the surface of the water. The piston 24 is, for example, moved within the tube 26 by driving the piston 24 with a wheel mounted on a motorized worm gear, controlled by the electronic device 16 of the medium-change device 1.

[0014] The ballast system 6 is reversibly mounted on the structure 2 by means of at least one clip element 30. More specifically, the clip element 30 comprises, for example, a body 32 integral with the ballast system 6 and at least one hook 32 extending from one end of the body 32 and reversibly fixed to a longitudinal cross member 10 of the structure 2. In one embodiment, the clip element 30 comprises two hooks 34 provided at each end of the body 32 and each reversibly fixed to one of the longitudinal cross members 10 of the structure 2. The body 32 has, for example, a curved shape substantially complementary to a portion of the tube 26 of the ballast system 6, such that the body 32 surrounds a portion of the tube 26 and is fixed by the hooks 34 at its ends to the longitudinal cross members 10 of the structure 2.

[0015] In one embodiment, the ballast system 6 is attached by two clip elements 30 to the longitudinal crossbeams 10, and the enclosure 22 housing the electronic device 16 is, for example, also mounted by one or more clip elements 30 onto the longitudinal crossbeam(s) 10 of the structure 2. Since the clip elements 30 allow for reversible attachment of the ballast system 6 and, optionally, the enclosure 22, to the structure 2, these elements can be easily added to an existing craft, such as an aerial drone, which can then also become underwater. Furthermore, such attachment provides modularity to the medium-change craft 1 by allowing the simple addition or removal of elements on the structure by clipping and unclipping the clip elements 30.

[0016] The payload 8 is selected to enable the medium-change vehicle 1 to perform one or more specific missions, for example, underwater. Thus, the payload 8 is chosen, for example, from at least one of the following devices: a device for acquiring an underwater acoustic signature, a device for acquiring an underwater electromagnetic signature, an underwater decoy device, or a device for emitting underwater noise. It is understood that this list is not exhaustive and that it may, for example, be supplemented by one or more payloads enabling the medium-change vehicle 1 to perform functions while airborne; such a payload being, for example, an imaging device or other device. The payload(s) 8 are, for example, housed in the enclosure 22 to protect them from water when the medium-change vehicle 1 is underwater.

[0017] The modularity of the medium-change vehicle 1 described above allows the payload to be easily replaced by another, simply by replacing the enclosure 22 containing a particular payload with another enclosure 22 containing a different payload.

[0018] The medium-change craft 1 can thus be easily transported to the area where it is to perform its mission by moving through the air, landing on the water's surface in the mission zone, and then submerging underwater using the ballast system 6. Once the mission is accomplished, the medium-change craft 1 can resurface and return to its base by taking off and moving through the air again. Therefore, the medium-change craft 1 does not need to be launched by means of a mechanical device from a surface vessel located near the mission zone.

Claims

1. Autonomous or remotely controlled medium-changing vehicle (1), comprising a structure (2) on which are mounted at least one propulsion assembly (4), a ballasting system (6) and at least one payload (8), the vehicle (1) being watertight, characterized in that at least the ballasting system (6) being mounted reversibly on the structure (2) by at least one clip-fastening element (30).

2. Medium-changing vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the ballasting system (6) comprises a piston (24) movable in translation in a tube (26), a chamber having an internal volume (28) being defined between the tube (26) and the piston (24), the displacement of the piston (24) in the tube (26) causing a modification of the internal volume (28) of the chamber so as to modify the buoyancy of the vehicle (1).

3. Medium-changing vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the displacement of the piston (24) is driven by a wheel mounted on a motorized worm screw.

4. Medium-changing vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the structure comprises at least one longitudinal crossmember (10), the clip-fastening element (30) comprising a body (32) secured to the ballasting system (6) and at least one hook (34) fastened reversibly on the longitudinal crossmember (10).

5. Medium-changing vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the structure (2) comprises at least two substantially parallel longitudinal crossmembers (10), the clip-fastening element (30) comprising two hooks (34) extending at two opposite ends of the body (32), each hook (34) being fastened reversibly on one of said longitudinal crossmembers (10).

6. Medium-changing vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the payload (8) comprises at least one of the following devices: device for acquiring an underwater acoustic signature, device for acquiring an underwater electromagnetic signature, underwater decoy device, device for emitting an underwater noise.

7. Medium-changing vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the propulsion assembly (4) comprises at least one propeller (12) able to move the vehicle in the air and under water.

8. Medium-changing vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the rotation speed of the propeller (12) is reduced when the vehicle is moved under water relative to the rotation speed of the propeller (12) when the vehicle is moved in the air.