Patents Assigned to Saildrone, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20230348033
    Abstract: An unmanned sailing vehicle comprising: a primary hull; a rigid wing rotationally coupled with said primary hull that freely rotates about a rotational axis of said rigid wing; a boom comprising a first end extending from a leading edge of said rigid wing and a second end extending from a trailing edge of said rigid wing, said first end of said boom comprising a counterweight configured to dynamically balance a wing system comprising said rigid wing, said boom, and said tail with respect to said rotational axis of said rigid wing; a tail coupled to said second end of said boom; a control surface element disposed on said tail and configured to aerodynamically control a wing angle of said rigid wing based on a position of said control surface element; and a controller configured to determine a control surface angle and generate a signal to position said control surface element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: Saildrone, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Elliott Jenkins, Dylan Owens
  • Patent number: 11731748
    Abstract: A system for autonomous ocean data collection includes at least one sensor capable of collecting sensor data, at least one transmission device, and at least one computing device comprising one or more hardware processors and memory coupled to the one or more hardware processors, the memory storing one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more hardware processors, cause the at least one computing device to generate data for transmission based on the sensor data collected by the at least one sensor, and cause the at least one transmission device to transmit the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Saildrone, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Elliott Jenkins, Dylan Owens
  • Publication number: 20210362817
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for an unmanned surface vehicle including a vehicle body and a rigid square-rig wing coupled with the primary vehicle body. The rigid square-rig wing includes a first surface configured to interact with wind to generate a force that propels the primary vehicle body in a direction of travel that is primarily composed of drag, and a second surface configured to interact with the wind to generate a force that propels the primary vehicle body in a direction of travel that is primarily composed of lift. The unmanned surface vehicle further includes a rudder and a control system comprising a controller, the control system configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position the rudder to the rudder position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Applicant: Saildrone, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Elliott Jenkins
  • Publication number: 20210339837
    Abstract: A system for autonomous ocean data collection includes at least one sensor capable of collecting sensor data, at least one transmission device, and at least one computing device comprising one or more hardware processors and memory coupled to the one or more hardware processors, the memory storing one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more hardware processors, cause the at least one computing device to generate data for transmission based on the sensor data collected by the at least one sensor, and cause the at least one transmission device to transmit the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: Saildrone, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Elliott Jenkins, Dylan Owens
  • Patent number: 11084561
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for an unmanned surface vehicle including a vehicle body and a rigid square-rig wing coupled with the primary vehicle body. The rigid square-rig wing includes a first surface configured to interact with wind to generate a force that propels the primary vehicle body in a direction of travel that is primarily composed of drag, and a second surface configured to interact with the wind to generate a force that propels the primary vehicle body in a direction of travel that is primarily composed of lift. The unmanned surface vehicle further includes a rudder and a control system comprising a controller, the control system configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position the rudder to the rudder position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Saildrone, inc.
    Inventor: Richard Elliott Jenkins
  • Patent number: 11059553
    Abstract: A system for autonomous ocean data collection includes at least one sensor capable of collecting sensor data, at least one transmission device, and at least one computing device comprising one or more hardware processors and memory coupled to the one or more hardware processors, the memory storing one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more hardware processors, cause the at least one computing device to generate data for transmission based on the sensor data collected by the at least one sensor, and cause the at least one transmission device to transmit the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Saildrone, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Elliott Jenkins, Dylan Owens
  • Publication number: 20200247515
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for an unmanned surface vehicle including a vehicle body and a rigid square-rig wing coupled with the primary vehicle body. The rigid square-rig wing includes a first surface configured to interact with wind to generate a force that propels the primary vehicle body in a direction of travel that is primarily composed of drag, and a second surface configured to interact with the wind to generate a force that propels the primary vehicle body in a direction of travel that is primarily composed of lift. The unmanned surface vehicle further includes a rudder and a control system comprising a controller, the control system configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position the rudder to the rudder position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: Saildrone, inc.
    Inventor: Richard Elliott Jenkins
  • Publication number: 20200039620
    Abstract: A system for autonomous ocean data collection includes at least one sensor capable of collecting sensor data, at least one transmission device, and at least one computing device comprising one or more hardware processors and memory coupled to the one or more hardware processors, the memory storing one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more hardware processors, cause the at least one computing device to generate data for transmission based on the sensor data collected by the at least one sensor, and cause the at least one transmission device to transmit the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: Saildrone, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Elliott Jenkins, Dylan Owens
  • Patent number: 10442512
    Abstract: A system for autonomous ocean data collection includes at least one sensor capable of collecting sensor data, at least one transmission device, and at least one computing device comprising one or more hardware processors and memory coupled to the one or more hardware processors, the memory storing one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more hardware processors, cause the at least one computing device to generate data for transmission based on the sensor data collected by the at least one sensor, and cause the at least one transmission device to transmit the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Saildrone, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Elliott Jenkins, Dylan Owens
  • Patent number: 9381985
    Abstract: An unmanned, autonomous, ocean-going vessel including a primary hull and a rigid wing rotationally coupled with the primary hull that freely rotates about a rotational axis. At least one of the primary hull and the rigid wing includes at least one selectively floodable compartment configured to selectively flood to submerge the primary hull and at least a portion of the rigid wing. The vessel further includes at least one controller configured to maintain a desired heading. The vessel further includes a control surface element configured to aerodynamically control a wing angle of the rigid wing based on a force exerted by wind on the control surface element. The vessel further includes a rudder. The at least one controller is further configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position the rudder. The vessel further includes a keel coupled with the primary hull.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Saildrone, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Elliott Jenkins, Dylan Owens
  • Patent number: 9003986
    Abstract: An unmanned ocean-going vessel including a primary hull, a rigid wing rotationally coupled with the primary hull where the rigid wing freely rotates about a rotational axis of the rigid wing, a controller configured to maintain a desired heading, a control surface element configured to aerodynamically control a wing angle of the rigid wing based on a position of the control surface element, where the controller is configured to determine a control surface angle and generate a signal to position the control surface element based on the control surface angle, a rudder, where the controller is further configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position the rudder to the rudder position, and a keel including ballast sufficient to provide a positive righting moment sufficient to cause the primary hull to passively right from any position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Saildrone, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Elliott Jenkins, Dylan Owens