Unmanned underwater vehicle operates autonomously
Latest Boeing development has applications in defence, engineering and science
US company Boeing – perhaps best known for its aerospace business – has been designing and operating manned and unmanned deep sea systems since the 1960s. It latest development in this area is a fleet of unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs).
The newest addition to the fleet, named Echo Voyager, can operate autonomously for up to six months at a time thanks to a hybrid rechargeable power system and modular payload bay. Developed by subsidiary Boeing Phantom Works, Echo Voyager can undertake a variety of underwater missions such as payload deployment, infrastructure protection, or subsea search and reconnaissance – without a requirement for support from a surface vessel.
Due to its range of potential applications, Boeing says it expects to see interest from oil, underwater engineering and science organisations – as well as the military – once the vessel is available commercially.
The US Navy has put a focus on unmanned undersea vehicles as part of its future fleet. The Navy has explored using UUVs for underwater surveillance, mine-detection and other uses. It already has several autonomous vehicles used for underwater ship-hull inspection and Defense Secretary Ash Carter said earlier this year that the Defense Department plans to spend $600 million over the next five years on UUVs.
Lithium ion and silver zinc batteries provide Echo Voyager with sufficient power to operate for several days. When the batteries need recharging the vessel rises to the surface and runs an on-board diesel generator. Utilising this recharging method allows Echo Voyager to travel up to 7,500 miles in a single voyage.
While at sea it has the ability to send information and data to surface vessels or shore stations.
Boeing is still experimenting with Echo Voyager in one of its research pools in Huntington Beach, California. If all goes according to plan, the company says it will then conduct open-ocean testing off the coast of California this summer.
“Echo Voyager is a new approach to how unmanned undersea vehicles will operate and be used in the future,” said Darryl Davis, president of Boeing Phantom Works.
The 51-foot-long Echo Voyager joins the 32-foot Echo Seeker and the 18-foot Echo Ranger in the Boeing UUV line-up.
Sources:
http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/robotic-sub-explores-underwater-for-six-months/
http://www.boeing.com/features/2016/03/bds-echo-voyager-03-16.page
