Underwater vehicles for navigating relative to a structure

The vehicle of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the imaging modules is operable to define a field of view, and the imaging modules are arranged such that the field of view of at least two of the imaging modules overlap.

The vehicle of any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the imaging modules comprises a stereo pair of cameras.

The vehicle of any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the imaging modules is covered by a domed lens.

The vehicle of any one of the preceding claims, further including a plurality of range sensors carried by the body to be spaced from each other, each range sensor operable to determine distance of an object relative to the body, and wherein the controller is communicatively coupled with the range sensors and configured to control operation of the one or more drive mechanisms based on distance data received from the range sensors.

The vehicle of any one of the preceding claims, further including a plurality of light emitters carried by the body and spaced from the imaging modules, each light emitter operable to illuminate a field of view of at least one imaging module, and wherein the controller is communicatively coupled with the light emitters and configured to control operation of the light emitters.

The vehicle of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller includes a processor sealably contained within the body.

The vehicle of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is configured to effect autonomous navigation relative to the structure.

The vehicle of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle includes a base station mounted outside of the body of water, and a tether connecting the body to the base station.

An underwater vehicle configured to clean a structure submerged in a body of water, the vehicle including:

• a body defining a peripheral region;
• and
• an elongate cleaning module operable to clean the structure, the cleaning module defining a first end and an opposed second end, the cleaning module being adjustably mounted to the body to allow at least one of displacing the cleaning module in a linear direction relative to the body, and rotating the cleaning module about at least one axis, to position the second end to extend past the peripheral region to access the structure.