Underwater investigation system using multiple unmanned vehicles

An unmanned system for investigating underwater regions, comprising:

• a plurality of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), each of said plurality of UUVs being (i) powered by at least one rechargeable battery, and (ii) equipped to traverse an underwater region, generate sonar data associated with the underwater region, generate image data of selected areas of the underwater region, and transmit said sonar data and said image data through the water;
• an unmanned mothership equipped to (i) navigate through the water, (ii) receive and store said sonar data and said image data from each of said plurality of UUVs, and (iii) wirelessly transmit aid sonar data and said image data from said unmanned mothership;
• battery charging means for recharging said at least one rechargeable battery, said battery charging means having a first portion that is mounted onboard said unmanned mothership and a second portion that is mounted on each of said plurality of UUVs,
• said first portion having (i) a ferromagnetic material formed into a nearly continuous loop wherein a gap is formed between two opposing surfaces of said ferromagnetic material that defines the ends of said nearly continuous loop with said gap being submerged in the water, (ii) a first electric conductor coiled about a portion of said ferromagnetic material that is formed into said nearly continuous loop at a region thereof opposing said gap, and (iii) an AC power source coupled to said first electric conductor for applying an AC voltage thereto,
• said second portion having (i) a block of said ferromagnetic material sized to loosely fit in said gap while being spaced apart from each of said opposing surfaces, (ii) a second electric conductor coiled about a portion of said block wherein said AC voltage applied to said first electric conductor induces an electric-current in said second electric conductor when said block is positioned in said gap, (iii) means for positioning said block in said gap, and (iv) means coupled to said first electric conductor and said at least one rechargeable battery for utilizing said electric current to recharge said at least one rechargeable battery, and
• said first portion further having means for keeping said block spaced apart from said opposing surfaces when said block is fitted in said gap;
• docking means mounted partially onboard said unmanned mothership and partially onboard each of said plurality of UUVs for coupling each of said plurality of UUVs to said unmanned mothership, and for selectively releasing each of said plurality of UUVs from said unmanned mothership into the underwater region;
• and
• guidance means mounted partially onboard said unmanned mothership and partially onboard each of said plurality of UUVs for guiding each of said plurality of UUVs back to said docking means from positions in the water, wherein said unmanned mothership transports said plurality of UUVs to and from the vicinity of the underwater region, releases said plurality of UUVs into the water, and facilitates recovery of said plurality of UUVs from the water.