Multi-role unmanned vehicle system and associated methods

An unmanned vehicle system comprising:

• an unmanned vehicle comprising:
• an aerohydrodynamic vehicle body configured to selectively operate in air, on a substantially planar water surface, and while submerged in water, and wherein at least a portion of the vehicle body comprises at least one enclosed hull that defines at least one enclosed interior compartment capable of pressurization, wherein the vehicle body includes a center wing characterized by a leading edge, a trailing edge, a port edge, a starboard edge, an upper surface, and a lower surface;
• and a pair of opposing sponsons characterized by a stepped hull design, wherein each sponson comprises a proximal wall positioned adjacent the wing and a distal wall positioned opposite the proximal wall;
• and wherein the sponsons are integrally coupled to the port and starboard edges of the wing, respectively, such that the proximal walls of the sponsons and the lower surface of the wing define therebetween a tunnel,
• a propulsion system carried by a portion of the vehicle body and configured to propel the unmanned vehicle,
• a ballast system carried by a portion of the vehicle body and configured to vary buoyancy of the unmanned vehicle,
• a center of gravity system carried by a portion of the vehicle body and configured to vary a center of gravity of the unmanned vehicle,
• a pressurization system carried by a portion of the vehicle body and configured to vary a pressure within the at least one enclosed interior compartment,
• at least one control surface system carried by a portion of the vehicle body and configured to maneuver the unmanned vehicle,
• a navigation control system carried by the vehicle body and configured to control a speed, an orientation, and a direction of travel of the unmanned vehicle,
• a sensor system carried by a portion of the vehicle body and comprising a plurality of environmental sensors configured to transmit environmental data and a plurality of operational sensors configured to transmit operational data,
• an on board mission control system carried by a portion of the vehicle body and comprising a rules engine configured to receive the environmental data and the operational data and from the sensor system and to issue autonomous operational instructions retrieved from an on board data store to control operation of the propulsion system, the ballast system, the center of gravity system, the pressurization system, the at least one control surface system, and the navigation control system, wherein the autonomous operational instructions comprise air control instructions, marine control instructions, and submarine control instructions, and
• at least one power supply carried by a portion of the vehicle body and configured to provide power to the propulsion system, the ballast system, the center of gravity system, the pressurization system, the at least one control surface system, the navigation control system, the sensor system, and the on board mission control system;
• and
• an off board control system in data communication with the on board mission control system and configured to issue at least one of manual operational instructions and semi-autonomous operational instructions to control operation of the on board mission control system of the unmanned vehicle;
• wherein the propulsion system, the ballast system, the center of gravity system, the pressurization system, the at least one control surface system, the navigation control system, and the on board mission control system are configured to execute the air control instructions to operate the vehicle body in the air, to execute the marine control instructions to operate the vehicle body on the surface of water, and to execute the submarine control instructions to operate the vehicle body below the surface of water.