Autonomous workboats and methods of using same

A method for controlling an undersea activity using autonomous undersea vehicles, comprising:

• providing a first autonomous sea-surface vehicle configured to operate according to at least one of a plurality of pre-programmed guidance maneuvers;
• providing a first control system on said first autonomous sea-surface vehicle for activating a high precision steering and thrust system wherein steering and thrust control inputs are defined by at least one pre-programmed maneuver;
• providing a wireless communications system on board said sea-surface vehicle for exchanging information with a remote management system, wherein said remote management system sends information for activating said at least one autonomous pre-programmed maneuver of said sea-surface vehicle;
• providing a second control system for executing guidance and control commands for one or more undersea autonomous vehicles;
• providing a communications link on board said first autonomous sea surface vehicle for communicating with one or more undersea autonomous vehicles to send an execution command to activate at least one of said pre-programmed maneuvers autonomously, and receiving task data acquired by said undersea autonomous vehicle.

A sea-surface vessel configured to operate in an autonomous mode and to direct autonomous operation of a plurality of undersea autonomous vehicles, said sea surface vessel comprising:

• a first control system on board said sea-surface vessel for implementing autonomous control of said sea-surface vessel;
• a first communications system for sending data and receiving data between said plurality of undersea autonomous vehicles and said sea surface vessel;
• a second control system for controlling said plurality of undersea autonomous vehicles by using information transmitted from said communications system, said information including commands for activation of pre-programmed maneuvers for said plurality of undersea autonomous vehicles;
• a navigation system on board said sea-surface vessel for locating said sea-surface vessel and providing said location information to said first control system;
• a thrust system for controlling sea-surface vessel speed and direction according to control instructions from said first control system;
• and
• a second communications system on board said sea-surface vessel for exchanging information with a remote management system, wherein said remote management system sends information for activating autonomous pre-programmed maneuvers of said sea-surface vehicle that are performed simultaneously and said remote management system receives information from said sea-surface vessel, including data from said plurality of undersea autonomous vehicles.