Reusable buoyancy modules for buoyancy control of underwater vehicles

A method for operating a water environment robotic system, comprising the steps of:

• deploying the water environment robotic system into a water environment, the water environment robotic system comprising:
• an underwater robotic vehicle, wherein the underwater robotic vehicle is at least one vehicle of the water environment robotic system;
• a buoyancy module that is configured to be repeatably, selectively buoyantly engaged and buoyantly disengaged with the underwater robotic vehicle;
• a tether connected to the buoyancy module;
• and
• a motor operatively connected to the tether and being configured to extend and retract the tether and buoyancy module;
• selectively altering a buoyancy configuration of the water environment robotic system, comprising the steps of:
• extending the tether and buoyancy module of the water environment robotic system in which the buoyancy module and the underwater robotic vehicle are buoyantly engaged;
• buoyantly disengaging the buoyancy module such that the underwater robotic vehicle has a negative buoyancy;
• retracting the tether and buoyancy module;
• and
• buoyantly re-engaging the buoyancy module such that the underwater robotic vehicle has a neutral buoyancy.

A water environment robotic system, comprising:

• an underwater robotic vehicle, wherein the underwater robotic vehicle is at least one vehicle of the water environment robotic system;
• a buoyancy module that is configured to be repeatably, selectively buoyantly engaged and buoyantly disengaged with the underwater robotic vehicle;
• a tether connected to the buoyancy module;
• and
• a motor operatively connected to the tether and being configured to extend and retract the tether and buoyancy module;
• wherein in a first condition the tether and buoyancy module are in a retracted position and the underwater robotic vehicle has a negative buoyancy, and in a second condition the tether and buoyancy module are in an extended position and the underwater robotic vehicle has a neutral buoyancy,
• wherein the buoyancy module is buoyantly engaged in the first condition, and the buoyancy module is buoyantly disengaged with the underwater robot in the second condition, and
• wherein the robotic system is configured to transition from the first condition, to the second condition, and back to the first condition.

A method for operating a water environment robotic system, comprising the steps of:

• deploying the water environment robotic system into a water environment, the water environment robotic system comprising:
• an underwater robotic vehicle, wherein the underwater robotic vehicle is at least one vehicle of the water environment robotic system;
• a buoyancy module that is configured to be repeatably, selectively buoyantly engaged and buoyantly disengaged with the underwater robotic vehicle;
• a tether connected to the buoyancy module;
• and
• a motor operatively connected to the tether and being configured to extend and retract the tether and buoyancy module;
• selectively altering a buoyancy configuration of the water environment robotic system, comprising the steps of:
• extending the tether and buoyancy module of the water environment robotic system in which the buoyancy module and the underwater robotic vehicle are buoyantly engaged;
• buoyantly disengaging the buoyancy module such that the underwater robotic vehicle has a neutral buoyancy;
• retracting the tether and buoyancy module;
• and
• buoyantly re-engaging the buoyancy module such that the underwater robotic vehicle has a negative buoyancy.