Hydrofoil equipped seaglider takeoff

A control system for a craft comprising a hydrofoil and a wing, wherein the control system comprises:

• at least one processor;
• and
• tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media that comprises program instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the craft to:
• as the craft accelerates while the hydrofoil is at least partially submerged in water, maintain the hydrofoil at least partially submerged in the water, wherein maintaining the hydrofoil at least partially submerged in the water comprises causing a first adjustment of at least one control surface of the hydrofoil so as to maintain the hydrofoil at least partially submerged in the water;
• while the hydrofoil is at least partially submerged in the water, determine that at least one takeoff condition is met;
• and
• after determining that the at least one takeoff condition is met, cause the hydrofoil to exit the water and the craft to become wing-borne, wherein causing the hydrofoil to exit the water and the craft to become wing-borne comprises causing a second adjustment of the at least one control surface of the hydrofoil so as to allow the hydrofoil to exit the water and the craft to become wing-borne.

Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions, when executed by one or more processors cause a control system to perform functions for controlling a craft comprising a hydrofoil and a wing, wherein the functions comprise:

• as the craft accelerates while the hydrofoil is at least partially submerged in water, maintain the hydrofoil at least partially submerged in the water, wherein maintaining the hydrofoil at least partially submerged in the water comprises causing a first adjustment of at least one control surface of the hydrofoil so as to maintain the hydrofoil at least partially submerged in the water;
• while the hydrofoil is at least partially submerged in the water, determine that at least one takeoff condition is met;
• and
• after determining that the at least one takeoff condition is met, cause the hydrofoil to exit the water and the craft to become wing-borne, wherein causing the hydrofoil to exit the water and the craft to become wing-borne comprises causing a second adjustment of the at least one control surface of the hydrofoil so as to allow the hydrofoil to exit the water and the craft to become wing-borne.

A craft comprising:

• a hull;
• a wing attached to the hull;
• a hydrofoil attached to the hull;
• at least one processor;
• and
• tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media that comprises program instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the craft to:
• as the craft accelerates while the hydrofoil is at least partially submerged in water, maintain the hydrofoil at least partially submerged in the water;
• while the hydrofoil is at least partially submerged in the water, determine that at least one takeoff condition is met;
• after determining that the at least one takeoff condition is met, cause the hydrofoil to exit the water and the craft to become wing-borne;
• after the craft becomes wing-borne, cause the hydrofoil to retract;
• after causing the hydrofoil to retract and while the hydrofoil is retracted, cause the craft to land such that the craft becomes hull-borne;
• and
• after the craft becomes hull-borne, (i) control a velocity of the craft and (ii) cause the hydrofoil to extend such that the craft becomes hydrofoil-borne.