Deployment of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles

Abstract

A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) docked to a tether management system (TMS) is lifted outboard into water beside a vessel while deploying an umbilical that effects communication with the ROV via a tether of the TMS. After undocking the ROV to swim away from the TMS while deploying the tether, the TMS is suspended over the water while the ROV performs a subsea mission. A mobile or transportable ROV support unit can be positioned on a deck of a vessel of opportunity to facilitate deployment of the ROV, the TMS and the umbilical and to control the ROV during the mission.

1 . A method of adapting a vessel of opportunity to support UUV operations, the method comprising positioning a mobile UUV support unit on a deck of the vessel, the UUV support unit including a UUV control system and a garage holding an assembly of a TMS and a UUV, and subsequently lifting the assembly of the TMS and the UUV from the UUV support unit outboard of the vessel, using a crane that was fitted to the vessel prior to positioning the UUV support unit on the deck. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where the UUV support unit further includes a storage location for an umbilical that connects the TMS to the UUV control system. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the UUV control system is arranged to accommodate control personnel for controlling the UUV. 
     
     
         4 . The method of any of  claim 1 , further comprising effecting data communication between the UUV control system and a control system of the crane. 
     
     
         5 . A mobile or transportable UUV support unit that can be positioned on a deck of a surface vessel or platform, the support unit including:
 a UUV control system;   a garage holding an assembly of a TMS and a UUV;   a lifting formation on the TMS for lifting the TMS/UUV assembly from the garage using a crane fitted to the vessel or platform; and   an umbilical that effects communication between the UUV control system and the UUV via a tether of the TMS.   
     
     
         6 . The UUV support unit of  claim 5 , wherein the UUV control system is arranged to accommodate control personnel for controlling the UUV. 
     
     
         7 . The UUV support unit of  claim 5 , embodied as a vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The UUV support unit of  claim 5 , comprising wheels, tracks and/or rollers enabling the support unit to move around the deck of the surface vessel or platform. 
     
     
         9 . A surface vessel or platform equipped with the UUV support unit of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         10 . The vessel or platform of  claim 9 , wherein the UUV support unit is positioned within a lifting radius of a crane fitted to the vessel or platform, whereby said crane lifts the TMS/UUV assembly from the garage. 
     
     
         11 . The vessel or platform of  claim 10 , wherein the UUV control system of the UUV support unit is in data communication with a control system of the crane.