The Houston-based company is working with the US Navy on an autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle (AUV) with a minimum level of control that will operate at depths of more than 3,000 meters without a surface vessel or a communication line.
Nicolaus Redford, chief technologist at Houston Mechatronics, said the Aquanaut system is different from other technologies because it can handle objects at depths of up to 3,000 meters using control commands transmitted over acoustic networks. At the same time, Redford refused to say at what depths the military option can work. The Aquanaut has batteries with a capacity of over 30 kilowatt-hours.
Another feature of this system is its ability to independently deploy over a long distance. "It can go really far away, like, for example, an underwater vehicle for delivering swimmers and upon arrival at a given location, it can transform into a remotely controlled vehicle that does not need cables, halyards or cables," said Redford. "But, nevertheless, the apparatus is controlled, because we always wanted to have a person in the control loop."
Redford also said that the current communication technology with submersibles only allows high-speed communication at a distance of about two hundred meters, there are restrictions on the deployment range. Houston Mechatronics' low-speed acoustic modem technology enables deployment of devices over long distances. At the moment, the devices used for handling operations need a large vessel or a large platform and a halyard to communicate, as operators need a high-speed network capable of transmitting high-resolution video images.
The goal of Houston Mechatronics is to eliminate the financial and logistical problems associated with hiring an escort vessel and halyard. According to him, the work of the vessel can cost 100-200 thousand dollars a day. The halyard limits the AUV, since the vessel on the surface must have considerable room for maneuver with the halyard, which also creates hydrodynamic drag."
Aquanaut can assist the US Navy in the fight against submarine mines and submarines. Redford said the Navy wants this capability because underwater mines are cheap but can be a big nuisance.
Redford, for example, noticed that a $ 3,000 mine could quickly close an entire sea route. Current solutions to combat underwater mines include the use of divers or expensive ammunition. The US Navy is also evaluating and testing other systems, such as the Knifefish, for dealing with mines. The Knifefish autonomous mine-fighting vehicle was developed by General Dynamics Mission Systems.
Redford noted that Aquanaut differs from Knifefish in that it is the only system with technology that allows manipulation at low data rates. In some cases, the US Navy does not want to have a ship nearby, as it may be hostile waters, forbidden waters, or bad weather conditions.
“It can be launched from a remote area, swim tens of kilometers and then do its job. This is not possible for most systems at the moment. But this is the revolution that we have proclaimed."
Houston Mechatronics recently met with the Fleet's Office of Mine Warfare and Coastal Warfare to discuss the development and application of the Aquanaut.
