Community News

Admiral: UAVs, Other Unmanned Systems Crucial to Navy’s Future

February 4, 2010 — via Government Video

The technology has changed and so has the Navy’s outlook on remote-controlled and automated craft for the air and the water, said Rear Adm. Wendi B. Carpenter, commander at the Navy Warfare Development Command. Speaking at the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Unmanned Systems Program Review Thursday (Feb. 4) in Washington. She described her job as being paid to think about unmanned systems, their future and their integration with information networks. She also described a superior telling her she had to “change the culture” of the Navy.

Electrochem Powers First Transatlantic Crossing of a Robotic Sea-Glider

February 4, 2010 — via Thomas Net

Electrochem's non-rechargeable lithium batteries were chosen to power the data collection features of the RU27, nicknamed the Scarlet Knight for Rutgers' sports teams, due to the product's exceptional performance in extreme temperature environments. The critical data collected during the mission will be provided back to the Navy for validation of ocean forecast models.

CNO on Unmanned systems

February 4, 2010 — via Navy Times

Unmanned at sea. Officials are elated with the recent deployment of the vertical take-off unmanned aerial vehicle, better known as Fire Scout, aboard a ship supporting counter-drug operations. “We’re going to get these systems into where the action is,” Roughead said.

• More power. The Navy continues to expand its future fleet and inventory of unmanned systems that will be used for undersea and surface operations, but one big problem remains: Insufficient power. Roughead said the capability is hampered “if after 24 hours it has to come home.” He implored the crowd heavily represented by communications and electronics companies: “We need power, and we need power quickly.”

Research and development across Atlantic Canada is benefiting from an important federal investment of $62.4 million under Round VII of the Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF).

February 3, 2010 — via The Government Monitor

Memorial University of Newfoundland, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (St. John’s) Project: Responsive Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Localization and Mapping (REALM) Memorial’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science will integrate sonar and advanced navigation and adaptive mission control systems for its Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). The new technology will enable the AUV to perform high quality seabed surveys to focus on areas of interest, thereby reducing time, energy, cost, and risk of vehicle loss. This project, with estimated total costs of $4 million, will receive approximately $2.1 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a four-year period.

Integrating wide swath sonar with the portable AUV

February 2, 2010 — via Engineer Live

GeoAcoustics Ltd and Hydroid Inc have been integrating the GeoSwath Plus wide swath sonar with the Remus 100 man-portable AUV.

Quadrennial Defense Review released

February 1, 2010 — via U S Department of Defense

Exploit advantages in subsurface operations. The Navy is increasing funding for the development of an unmanned underwater vehicle that will be capable of a wide range of tasks.

ODIM UUU Launch & Recovery System Delivery to Marport

January 28, 2010 — via Brooke Ocean Technology

ODIM Brooke Ocean has delivered a small and compact Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) Launch and Recovery System (LARS) to Marport Canada Inc. of St. John's, Newfoundland (www.marport.com). The UUV LARS will be used for Marport's SQX1 UUV. The 90kg SQX1 is a compact, light-weight UUV designed for search and survey applications in coastal waters up to 500 meters in depth. It is a hydro-dynamically stable platform designed for reliable performance and low lifecycle cost.

Hydroid delivers customized REMUS 100 autonomous underwater system to Italian Navy

January 27, 2010 — via Defence Professionals

Hydroid, Inc, a leading manufacturer of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and part of the Kongsberg Maritime Subsea Group, has supplied a REMUS 100 system to the Italian Navy. The order for the REMUS 100 AUV system was awarded following an international solicitation by the ITN and is part of the growing mine countermeasures (MCM) capability of the Italian Navy.

Patterson receives Outstanding Faculty Award

January 27, 2010 — via Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Dr. Mark Patterson, a professor in the College of William and Mary's School of Marine Science at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, has received the state's highest honor for professors from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).

iRobot seeks Chief Engineer - Maritime Programs

January 26, 2010

We seek an experienced Chief Engineer for our Government & Industrial Robotics Division – Maritime Program. In this role, you will be responsible for leading a team of talented hardware and software engineers in the design, development and sustainment of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles including product line architecture, requirements development and traceability, customer interface, HW and SW development, risk analysis and mitigation, test and evaluation, transition to production and sustainment support. The position will be located in the Durham, NC and report on solid line basis to the Competency Manager in Bedford, MA with dotted line responsibility to the Maritime Program Manager in Durham.

Navy to power unmanned underwater vehicles with fuel cell stack technology from Delphi

January 26, 2010 — via Military and Aerospace Electronics

U.S. Navy undersea technology researchers are set to award a sole-source contract to Delphi Corp. in Troy, Mich., for a 30-cell solid oxide fuel cell stack (SOFC) system to power unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) applications.

Iowa State, Ames Lab engineer works to develop better batteries for energy alternatives

January 25, 2010 — via EurekaAlert

As part of a Materials World Network, Martin is working to develop better and safer lithium batteries. Network researchers are looking at replacing the liquid electrolyte that separates a battery's electron-producing anode from its electron-accepting cathode. The liquid electrolyte sometimes fails and catches fire. It also reduces battery power at cold temperatures.

Underwater robot explores marine mystery

January 22, 2010 — via TV 3 News New Zealand

An underwater robot has been exploring the waters of Tasman Bay near Nelson, to try and solve a marine mystery. Shellfish had disappeared from the area, but no one knows why.
One theory is that run off from the land is affecting the coastal eco-system but scientists are hoping the undersea explorer will provide some answers.

Professors, Students Spend January in the Arctic with Underwater Robots

January 22, 2010 — via Cal Poly News

Cal Poly Biology Professor Mark Moline and Computer Engineering Professor Christopher Clark brought their collection of marine robots -- and two Cal Poly students -- to Norway to study the underwater Arctic ecosystem in January in collaboration with Norwegian biologists.

VES is the First Stop on Rutgers Glider National Tour

January 22, 2010 — via Skillman Village Elementary School News

Atlantic Crossing Rutgers Glider Visits Village Elementary School

Atlas Successfully Ends EU Research Project GREX on Unmanned Underwater Vehicles

January 22, 2010 — via Defense Aerospace

Atlas Elektronik has successfully completed a European research project of landmark significance. For the EU research project GREX, Atlas contributed an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) of the type “SeaBee” to the research fleet and also managed the entire project.

AUVSI - Call For Papers

January 21, 2010 — via AUVSI

The call for papers for AUVSI's Unmanned Systems North American Conference has been extended to January 29th.

Atlas successfully ends EU research project Grex on unmanned underwater vehicles

January 20, 2010 — via Shepard

Atlas Elektronik has successfully completed a European research project of landmark significance. For the EU research project Grex, Atlas contributed an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) of the type “SeaBee” to the research fleet and also managed the entire project.
The goal of the project was to achieve the coordinated operation of different types of existing unmanned marine vehicles, so that they could perform specified tasks together as a team. Various scenarios were developed for the tests, to address possible applications in marine biology and the offshore industry.
Within the scope of the final sea tri

The Waitt Institute for Discovery Publishes Results from Largest-Ever, Private Deepwater Search

January 20, 2010 — via Yacht Charters Magazine

SearchforAmelia.org Showcases State-of-the-Art Technology Used to Look for Amelia Earhart

Hydroid sells two underwater vehicles

January 20, 2010 — via Cape Cod Times

Pocasset-based Hydroid announced this week that Florida Atlantic University has ordered two of the company's REMUS 100 autonomous underwater vehicle, or AUV, systems.

Dora to explore Tasman Bay's depths

January 19, 2010 — via Nelson Mail

Yesterday the submarine, nicknamed Dora (Delaware Oceanographic Research Autonomous underwater vehicle) slipped into the sea to begin a three-day mission studying the effect of the Motueka River plume on Tasman Bay. At 2.7m long and weighing 80kg, Dora moves unaided through the water, navigating around obstacles to collect data remotely and sends it back to the scientists.

New way to track fish

January 19, 2010 — via Sit News

Fishery scientists will soon test a new way of tracking fish and collecting marine data in waters around Juneau. In April a team from the Alaska Fisheries Science Center's Auke Bay Lab will launch a torpedo shaped autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that cruises silently underwater, and detects fish with acoustic tags that emit low frequency sounds. The AUV can cruise at varying depths along a pre-programmed path for over 12 hours.

Military to Spend $1.1 Billion on Unmanned Systems in Next 10 Years

January 19, 2010 — via Defence Professionals

military operations, with estimates suggesting that just under half of expenditure on autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) coming from defence organisations.

Gavia Reaches Record Depth

January 18, 2010 — via Hafmynd Ehf

The first Gavia AUV manufactured for the extended depth rating of 1000m was recently delivered. While the extended depth rating had been verified in a test tank, this was the first opportunity to trial the Gavia to full depth in a real-world environment.

Another Trial Success for SeeByte with New Confined Area Search Technology

January 17, 2010 — via Subsea World

SeeByte, the global leader in creating smart software for unmanned vehicles, has completed a successful Confined Area Search (CAS) trial on Bluefin Robotics’ Hovering Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (HAUV) with the U.S. Office of Naval Research. The goal of the trial was to demonstrate the automatic tracking of the propeller shafts of a ship hull. In this task, the HAUV and SeeByte’s control technology software detected both shafts, tracked each and returned to the starting point autonomously.

Firms Race To Be Driving Force Behind MoD

January 16, 2010 — via Sky News

Britain's motorsport companies are being employed by the MoD for defence projects - helping save lives and thousands of jobs.

Many of the major names in British motorsport are now involved in military contracts, with companies like McLaren, Williams and Prodrive finding it a vital source of income. At Lola's factory in Huntingdon, you will find racing cars being prepared next to unmanned drones. The company has quickly turned its hand to MoD work, showing the know-how and flexibility needed to react to problems with equipment quickly. The company recently helped develop an unmanned underwater vehicle for British Aerospace, producing a composite hull for the vehicle within three months.

Robot gliders take to the seas

January 15, 2010 — via TG Daily

Europe's largest fleet of underwater robot gliders is about to embark on its first research mission in the tropical Atlantic. The gliders, operated by Germany's Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences (IFM-Geomar), can explore the oceans at a depth of 1,000 metres, while using no more energy than a bike-light.

Waikato University dives into lake-bed research

January 13, 2010 — via Waikato Times

Waikato University launched its very own yellow submarine at Huntly's Weaver's Lake yesterday. Researchers will use the $700,000 Automated Underwater Vehicle (AUV), nicknamed Dora, to study the effects of algal blooms and humans on lakes. The AUV is on loan from the University of Delaware for several months.

Down where it’s wetter

January 13, 2010 — via 4G War

Nearly six years since it last updated plans for the development of unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs), the U.S. Navy is taking another look at the largest variant of underwater craft as a way to extend its reach into shallow areas along hostile or restricted shorelines.

FSI's Solar-powered AUV (SAUV) to be used in Tectonic Plate Monitoring

January 12, 2010 — via Falmouth Scientific

FSI announced today it has supplied a Solar-powered Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (SAUV) to the University of Tokyo for use in monitoring tectonic plate movement. The SAUV was delivered through SEA Corporation, FSI’s representative in Japan.

Job opportunity

January 12, 2010 — via Monster.com

Yulista seeking Subject Matter Expert (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles)

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute To Upgrade REMUS UUV

January 11, 2010 — via Inside the Navy

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute is set to receive a five-year sole-source contract to develop new launch and recovery systems on its mine-hunting unmanned undersea vehicle, the Remote Environmental Monitoring Unit.

Enhanced Lithium Ion Battery Abuse Testing Laboratory

January 11, 2010 — via Green Design Briefs

Sandia National Laboratories will use $4.2 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to modify and enhance its existing Battery Abuse Testing Laboratory (BATLab), with the goal of developing low-cost batteries for electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle

New AUV DVD Program!

January 10, 2010 — via Black Laser Learning

Need straight information on AUV's?
Black Laser Learning's "Not in the Manual Guide ® to Autonomous Underwater Vehicles will be available late winter of 2010.

Harbor Branch part of hush-hush search for Amelia Earhart's plane

January 9, 2010 — via TC Palm

Now it can be told: About 20 staffers from the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute took part in a hush-hush search for Amelia Earhart’s plane in the depths of the Pacific Ocean during spring 2009. Now it can be admitted: They didn’t find the wreckage of the Lockheed Electra 10E aircraft that disappeared July 2, 1937, as Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan attempted an around-the-world flight.

NOAA to test fish-finding technology

January 7, 2010 — via JUNEAU EMPIRE

Autonomous underwater device tracks tagged fish

Researchers at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center's Auke Bay Laboratories will test the fish tracker this spring. The device was developed by Tom Grothues, a Rutgers University Marine Field Station scientist.

Australian Marine Ecology Orders Iver2 AUV

January 4, 2010 — via OceanServer

OceanServer Technology, a leader in next generation AUV technology, announced today that Australian Marine Ecology Pty, Ltd. has purchased an Iver2 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle. This vehicle, equipped with OceanServer’s new dual port camera system, will be used in a broad range of upcoming research initiatives that include coral reef mapping in shallow lagoon habitats of the Lihou Reef in the Coral Sea.