ACUA Ocean has secured a European Space Agency (ESA) contract, supported by the UK Space Agency, to further advance its ‘nested robotic’ system for subsea inspection…
ACUA Ocean has secured a European Space Agency (ESA) contract, supported by the UK Space Agency, to further advance its ‘nested robotic’ system for subsea inspection.
The project will accelerate ACUA0’s development of Pioneer-class autonomous uncrewed surface vessel (USV) capabilities to launch and recover (LAR) remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).
The ‘nested robotics’ approach - or robots deploying other robots - aims to expand the operational scope of uncrewed systems in offshore energy and subsea inspection.
The system will use multiple satellite communications (satcom) solutions along with GNSS to enable Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) remote control, positioning, and data transfer for both the USV and the tethered ROV.
Network bonding technology will allow PIONEER to use the bandwidth of all available connections simultaneously rather than switching between them, preserving command-and-control links even if the primary network degrades.
These space-enabled technologies will allow PIONEER to deliver enhanced robotic services for offshore wind inspection, subsea cable maintenance, defense reconnaissance, and ocean science.
“This contract marks a significant milestone for ACUA Ocean. By combining subsea robotics with ACUA’s inherently stable uncrewed surface vehicle, with global, satellite-enabled control, we can provide safer, cleaner, and more cost-effective access to subsea inspection across multiple sectors,” said
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