French-Cypriot Team Unveils a Resident AUV System for Reef Monitoring
Researchers in France and Cyprus have debuted an autonomous drone sub system that is designed to reside on reefs and monitor environmental conditions on long timescales, without human intervention for recharging or maintenance.
The "EONIOS" project, a joint effort between French AUV builder Arkeocean, the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI), Cypriot tech firm SignalGeneriX and consultancy Lanego, unveiled a micro-USV "swarm" system on Monday at a press conference in the resort town of Ayia Napa. France's ambassador to Cyprus, Clélia Chevrier Kola?ko, was the guest of honor and keynote speaker.
The AUVs are paired with a docking system for recharging, and will provide 24/7 monitoring. Each drone can stay on station for up to a month at a time, thanks to the charging dock. The system incorporates swarming technology to allow the mini-AUVs to communicate and act together, and should be much less expensive than tethered solutions.
The testing phase is under way at the Ayia Napa marina, but the first real deployment for the drone subs will be at an artificial reef off Limassol, off Cyprus' south coast. The cement-based reef structure will contain the docking station, as well as a transmitter that will allow the AUVs to send information back to shore.
The AUV system also has potential applications in defense, an Arkeocean executive told AP, as it can loiter for long periods and operate without detection below the surface.
Successful Tests for Hugin to U.S. Navy
[By: Kongsberg Discovery]
Kongsberg Discovery successfully completes acceptance testing of a HUGIN Superior Autonomous Underwater Vehicle system for the Defense Innovation Unit and U.S. Navy.
Only one year after being awarded a 24-month frame contract for Large Diameter Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (LDUUV) by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), KONGSBERG completed acceptance testing and delivery of the first HUGIN Superior Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) for this customer.
A valuable asset for the U.S. Navy
This final testing was completed at the beginning of the year in Norway. The vehicle will now go on to provide real-world operational relevance and enhance the undersea capabilities of the U.S. Navy.
Impressed by the pace
The completion of this effort is a testament to DIU’s commitment to fulfilling its mission of accelerating the adoption of commercial technology for national security. In the last year, the DIU team performed a rigorous technology assessment which culminated in the order and delivery of a highly capable HUGIN AUV system in a short time.
“KONGSBERG is excited to be expanding our relationship with the U.S. Navy and provide the cutting-edge capabilities that come standard with our HUGIN Superior AUV system. We applaud the DIU team for enabling this transfer of capability to the warfighter at an accelerated pace and look forward to valuable operator feedback and continued partnership to further evolve our product line,” said Rich Patterson, Vice President of Sales, Uncrewed Platforms Division.
A cutting-edge tech for underwater
KONGSBERG’s HUGIN Superior is a proven AUV system that has been in active use by both commercial and military customers since 2019. It provides immediate operational capability for Subsea and Seabed Warfare (SSW), Intelligence Preparation of the Operational Environment (IPoE), Mine Countermeasures (MCM), and inspection of critical undersea infrastructure at delivery with no required modifications. With full ocean depth design, an endurance of over 70 hours, a navigational accuracy of <0.04% of distance travelled, and multiple mapping and imaging sensors, it leads the large AUV market in reliability and capability.
KONGSBERG has an extensive history of developing AUVs. From the first HUGIN dive in 1993 to the record-breaking multi-week mission of HUGIN Endurance last summer, HUGIN continues to be the gold standard of AUVs on the market. HUGIN is tightly integrated with KONGSBERG acoustic sensors, autonomy, navigation, and battery technology resulting in a finely tuned system that produces the highest quality data.
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
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