Integrated beam-forming sonar arrays for hydrofoil boats

Abstract

A system of a sonar sensor or an array of sensors integrated directly into the struts and / or foils of a hydrofoil boat. The sensors can be mounted on the leading edge of the strut, the leading edge of the foil, or the tips of the foils and struts. This placement provides a stable platform for beam-forming sonar that can operate in multiple directions (horizontal, vertical, forward, side, down) without adding extra drag. The sonar arrays consist of one transmitter and a linear array of receiver units. The reception direction can be electronically swept, allowing for the differentiation of the strength of received acoustic energy from a transmitted waveform, thus enabling the determination of the direction of an object and creating a 2D sonar image. This beam-forming technique, applied in this specific geometry for high-speed hydrofoiling and allows for long-range detection of passable areas without slowing or stopping the boat.

Images