Systems and methods for autonomous selection and operation of combinations of stealth and performance capabilities of a multi-mode unmanned vehicle

An unmanned vehicle comprising:

• a vehicle body comprising a pair of substantially parallel sponsons coupled together on opposite sides of a recessed well deck in a stern portion of the vehicle body, the recessed well deck being configured to stow a payload;
• a propulsion system carried by the vehicle body and configured to propel the unmanned vehicle;
• a maneuvering system carried by the vehicle body and configured to maneuver the unmanned vehicle;
• a vehicle control system carried by the vehicle body and configured to control a speed, an orientation, and a direction of travel of the unmanned vehicle in combination with the propulsion system and the maneuvering system;
• a buoyancy control system carried by the vehicle body and configured to control buoyancy of the unmanned vehicle;
• a sensor system carried by the vehicle body and comprising a plurality of environmental sensors configured to sense environmental and operational characteristics for the unmanned vehicle;
• and
• at least one power supply carried by the vehicle body and configured to provide power to the propulsion system, the maneuvering system, the vehicle control system, the buoyancy control system, and the sensor system;
• wherein the plurality of environmental sensors of the sensor system at least include a sensor adapted to detect an item of interest and provide an item of interest signal to the vehicle control system;
• wherein the vehicle control system is adapted to receive the item of interest signal, identify an item of interest classification and provide a classification signal, wherein the classification signal is determined by the item of interest classification and is utilized by the propulsion system, buoyancy control system, or maneuvering system to avoid physical detection of the unmanned vehicle by the item of interest;
• wherein the maneuvering system the buoyancy control system, or the propulsion system is configured to position the unmanned vehicle in a location calculated to prevent detection of the unmanned vehicle by the item of interest by positioning the unmanned vehicle in a body of water at a depth lower than a depth of the item of interest.

An unmanned vehicle comprising:

• a vehicle body comprising a pair of substantially parallel sponsons coupled together on opposite sides of a recessed well deck in a stern portion of the vehicle body, the recessed well deck being configured to stow a payload;
• a propulsion system carried by the vehicle body and configured to propel the unmanned vehicle;
• a maneuvering system carried by the vehicle body and configured to maneuver the unmanned vehicle;
• a vehicle control system carried by the vehicle body and configured to control a speed, an orientation, and a direction of travel of the unmanned vehicle in combination with the propulsion system and the maneuvering system;
• a buoyancy control system carried by the vehicle body and configured to control buoyancy of the unmanned vehicle;
• a sensor system carried by the vehicle body and comprising a plurality of environmental sensors configured to sense environmental and operational characteristics for the unmanned vehicle;
• a stealth control system;
• a thermal cloaking system adapted to decrease a temperature of the vehicle body;
• an acoustic cloaking system adapted to cancel an acoustic frequency emitted by the unmanned vehicle;
• a radio frequency cloaking system adapted to alter a radio frequency emitted by the unmanned vehicle;
• a radio frequency imitation system adapted recreate a target radio frequency;
• and
• at least one power supply carried by the vehicle body and configured to provide power to the propulsion system, the maneuvering system, the vehicle control system, the buoyancy control system, the sensor system, the stealth control system, the thermal cloaking system, the acoustic cloaking system, the radio frequency cloaking system, and the radio frequency imitation system;
• wherein the plurality of environmental sensors of the sensor system at least include a first sensor adapted to detect an item of interest and provide an item of interest signal to the vehicle control system and a second sensor adapted to determine a location and velocity of the item of interest, wherein the location is defined by a latitude, a longitude, and an altitude;
• wherein the vehicle control system is adapted to receive the item of interest signal, identify an item of interest classification and provide a classification signal;
• wherein the classification signal is determined by the item of interest classification and is utilized by the propulsion system, maneuvering system, vehicle control system, or buoyancy control system to avoid electrical, acoustic, or thermal detection of the unmanned vehicle by the item of interest;
• wherein the classification signal is utilized by the propulsion system, maneuvering system, vehicle control system, or buoyancy control system to position the unmanned vehicle in a location calculated to prevent detection of the unmanned vehicle by the item of interest;
• wherein the classification signal is utilized by the propulsion system, maneuvering system, vehicle control system, or buoyancy control system to position the unmanned vehicle in an orientation calculated to prevent detection of the unmanned vehicle by the item of interest, wherein the orientation is defined by a pitch and a roll value;
• and
• wherein the classification signal is utilized by the stealth control system to activate at least one of the thermal cloaking system, the acoustic cloaking system, and the radio frequency cloaking system.