The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Sep. 23, 2025

Filed:

Aug. 10, 2023
Applicant:

Regent Craft Inc., North Kingstown, RI (US);

Inventors:

Michael Klinker, East Greenwich, RI (US);

Daniel Cottrell, Centreville, VA (US);

William Bryan Baker, Cohasset, MA (US);

Andrew Gregg, Roslindale, MA (US);

Andrew Levin, Cambridge, MA (US);

Assignee:

Regent Craft, Inc., North Kingstown, RI (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B64C 35/00 (2006.01); B63B 1/26 (2006.01); B63B 1/28 (2006.01); B63B 1/30 (2006.01); G05D 1/652 (2024.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B64C 35/006 (2013.01); B63B 1/26 (2013.01); B63B 1/286 (2013.01); B63B 1/30 (2013.01); B64C 35/007 (2013.01); G05D 1/652 (2024.01);
Abstract

A craft comprises at least one hull; at least one wing configured to generate upwards aero lift as air flows past the at least one wing to facilitate wing-borne flight of the craft; a front hydrofoil connected to the at least one hull via a front hydrofoil strut and configured to generate upward hydrofoil lift as water flows past the front hydrofoil to facilitate hydrofoil-borne movement of the craft through the water; a rear hydrofoil connected to the at least one hull via a rear hydrofoil strut and configured to generate upward hydrofoil lift as water flows past the rear hydrofoil to facilitate hydrofoil-borne movement of the craft through the water; and a control system. While the craft is hydrofoil-borne, the control system is configured to facilitate transition of the craft from hydrofoil-borne operation to wing-borne operation via a process comprising: while the upwards aero lift generated by the at least one wing is below a threshold lift, controlling one or both of the front hydrofoil and the rear hydrofoil to generate a downward hydrofoil lift that causes the front hydrofoil and the rear hydrofoil to remain at least partially submerged in the water; and after the upwards aero lift generated by the at least one wing has increased above the threshold lift, transitioning the craft from hydrofoil-borne operation to wing-borne operation at least in part by controlling one or both of the front hydrofoil and the rear hydrofoil to switch from (a) generating the downward hydrofoil lift to (b) generating an upward hydrofoil lift that pushes the craft up and out of the water.


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