SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF COUPLING UNDERWATER VEHICLE WITH UNDERWATER SENSOR STORAGE CONTAINER

The present disclosure is directed to systems, methods, and apparatus for delivering seismic data acquisition units to, and retrieving from, an underwater vehicle. A sensor storage container can be tethered to a surface vessel, which can move on the surface with a non-zero velocity. The underwater vehicle can include a storage compartment to store seismic data acquisition units and a propulsion system to aid the movement of the underwater vehicle. The underwater vehicle also can include passive and active protrusions for coupling with corresponding receptacles on the sensor storage container. The sensor storage container also can include a propulsion system to aid movement of the sensor storage container. The propulsion systems of both the underwater vehicle and the sensor storage container can be controlled to allow the underwater vehicle and the sensor storage container to couple and allow transfer of seismic data acquisition units.