Underwater vehicle launch and recovery cradle, system and method

Abstract

A cradle 100 for underwater launching and recovery of an underwater vehicle 200 from a marine body 400. The cradle comprises a receptacle 102 for receiving the underwater vehicle, a tether attachment

Claims

1. A cradle for underwater launching and recovery of an underwater vehicle from a marine body, the cradle comprising:a receptacle for receiving the underwater vehicle;a tether attachment for connecting the cradle to the marine body via a tether; anda propulsion means for manoeuvring the receptacle in water relative to the marine body.

2. The cradle according to claim 1, wherein the propulsion means is controllable to manoeuvre the receptacle through the water to positionally stabilise the cradle against underwater forces applied thereto.

3. The cradle according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a locking mechanism configured to releasably retain the underwater vehicle in the receptacle.

4. The cradle according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the propulsion means comprises one or more thrusters operable to manoeuvre the receptacle through six degrees of freedom.

5. The cradle according to any preceding claim, wherein the tether attachment comprises an interface for connection to an interface line in the tether for establishing a power and / or control connection between the marine body and the cradle .

6. The cradle according to any preceding claim, further comprising a wireless transceiver for transmitting and receiving data between at least one of the marine body and the underwater vehicle.

7. The cradle according to any preceding claim, furthercomprising a battery for powering the propulsion means.

8. The cradle according to any preceding claim, further comprising one or more sensors for deriving positional information relating to at least one of the AUV, the cradle, and the marine body.

9. The cradle according to any preceding claim, further comprising a controller for controlling the propulsion means to positionally stabilise the cradle by maintaining a vertical, horizontal and rotational position within the water .

10. An underwater vehicle launch and recovery system, the system comprising:a cradle according to any of claims 1 to 9; anda tether for connecting the tether attachment to a marine body;a reeling device for mounting on the marine body; anda tether for connecting the tether attachment on the cradle to the reeling device mounted on the marine body,wherein the reeling device is operable to reel out or in the tether for lowering and raising the cradle, respectively.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the reeling device is a winch.

12. A marine body comprising the underwater vehicle launchand recovery system according to claim 10 or 11.

13. A method of launching an underwater vehicle from a marine body, the method comprising:lowering, from the marine body, a cradle according to any of claims 1 to 9 in water using a tether attached to the tether attachment, wherein the underwater vehicle is received in the receptacle of the cradle;operating the propulsion means to lift the cradle for introducing slack into the tether; and,releasing the underwater vehicle from the receptacle of the cradle.

14. A method of recovering an underwater vehicle to a marine body, the method comprising:lowering from the marine body a cradle according to any of claims 1 to 9 in water using a tether attached to the tether attachment;operating the propulsion means to lift the cradle for introducing slack into the tether;receiving the underwater vehicle in the receptacle of the cradle; and,raising the cradle to the marine body via a tether attached to the tether attachment.

15. The method of claims 13 or 14 wherein the step of operating the propulsion means comprises controlling the propulsion means to positionally stabilise the cradle by maintaining a vertical, horizontal and rotational position within the water.

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