Semi-autonomous underwater vehicle

Abstract

A semi-autonomous underwater vehicle has (a) a hull; (b) one or more thruster motors; (c) a preprogrammed controller for controlling the motors and/or separate steering components to carry out a plurality of different maneuvers; and (d) a wireless signal receiver for providing instructions to the controller.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A semi-autonomous underwater vehicle comprising:
 (a) a hull;   (b) one or more thruster motors;   (c) a preprogrammed controller for controlling the motors and the steering components to carry out a plurality of different pre-programmed maneuvers; and   (d) a wireless signal receiver for providing instructions to the controller.   
     
     
         2 . The semi-autonomous underwater vehicle of  claim 1  wherein the thruster motors provide the vehicle with the ability to steer the vehicle left, right, up and down. 
     
     
         3 . The semi-autonomous underwater vehicle of  claim 1  wherein the vehicle further comprises one or more function providers chosen from the list of function providers consisting of lights, transducers and vibrators. 
     
     
         4 . The semi-autonomous underwater vehicle of  claim 3  wherein the function providers are activated and deactivated pursuant to a preprogrammed schedule. 
     
     
         5 . The semi-autonomous underwater vehicle of  claim 1  wherein the wireless signal receiver is adapted to accept acoustic modem/pulse signals while the vehicle is underwater.