Autonomous Robotics Ltd (ARL), part of Thalassa, has completed sea trials of a prototype ‘flying node’ autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) offshore Plymouth harbour.
The trials were performed under the supervision of Arran Holloway, ARL’s engineering director, and are a major step forward in the proof of concept prototype development phase.
The trial demonstrated the AUV autonomous navigation and seabed landing and take-off operation, the company explained.
Arran Holloway said, “The AUV demonstrated exceptionally stable flight and accurate navigation during the trial and completed all tests successfully. This is a major milestone in the development of the flying node concept and demonstrates the viability of some of the novel features of the system.”
Duncan Soukup , chairman of Thalassa said: “The autonomous sea trials were identified as a key milestone in the development of the flying node AUV. The success of these trials is testament to the high level of professionalism and dedication of the ARL technical team, led by Arran Holloway.”