Marine Drone Control With Vessel Feedback Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing unmanned vehicle systems face challenges in efficiently operating and controlling unmanned vehicles in marine environments due to factors like moving bases of operation, changing tides, limited wireless range, and limited safe landing conditions, which hinder effective navigation, data collection, and task execution.
Innovation Solution
The integration of unmanned vehicles with marine electronic devices enables autonomous and manual remote control, featuring location sensors, propulsion systems, operational components, and communication systems that allow for navigation, data transmission, and task execution, including sonar, radar, and video streaming, while accounting for environmental challenges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If unmanned vehicles are operated in marine environments with moving bases and changing tides, then operational versatility is improved, but navigation precision deteriorates due to dynamic environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously receives location data from the unmanned vehicle and updates the desired location based on the moving marine vessel's position. The control signal dynamically adjusts navigation targets as the base moves, creating a closed-loop feedback system that maintains navigation precision despite environmental changes and moving operational bases.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static navigation to dynamic navigation by continuously updating the desired location based on the marine vessel's current position. The control system adapts in real-time to changing tides and moving bases, making the navigation system flexible and responsive to environmental conditions.
2Ease of operation
If autonomous control is implemented using marine electronic devices, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to integration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The marine electronic device serves multiple functions: it acts as the control interface for the unmanned vehicle, stores navigation data and waypoints, processes location information, and communicates with the vehicle. This multi-functionality consolidates several systems into one device, improving ease of operation while managing complexity through integration rather than proliferation of separate components.
3Area of stationary object
If wireless communication range is extended for remote control, then operational area is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to signal interference in marine environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the marine vessel as an intermediary base for communication. Location data and control signals are routed through the vessel's electronic device, which acts as a stable communication node. This intermediary approach extends the effective operational area while maintaining reliability by providing a dedicated communication path through the vessel's systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This integration enhances the capability and efficiency of unmanned vehicles in marine environments by enabling precise navigation, data collection, and task execution, such as search and rescue operations, while overcoming environmental challenges like changing tides and limited wireless range.
Implementation Method 1
a location sensor configured to gather location data corresponding to the unmanned vehicle
Implementation Method 2
a transmitter configured to transmit data to the marine electronic device
Implementation Method 3
a receiver configured to receive instructions from the marine electronic device
Implementation Method 4
a propulsion system configured to propel the unmanned vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
Many different types of systems are utilized or tasks are performed in a marine environment. The present invention provides various configurations of unmanned vehicles, or drones, that can be operated and/or controlled for such systems or tasks. One or more unmanned vehicles can be integrated with a dedicated marine electronic device of a marine vessel for autonomous control and operation. Additionally or alternatively, the unmanned vehicle can be manually remote operated during use in the marine environment. Such unmanned vehicles can be utilized in many different marine environment systems or tasks, including, for example, navigation, sonar, radar, search and rescue, video streaming, alert functionality, among many others. However, as contemplated by the present invention, the marine environment provides many unique challenges that may be accounted for with operation and control of an unmanned vehicle.