Sponsored by The British Robotics Seed Fund
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08 Apr 24. Saildrone, Thales collaborating on sub-sensing unmanned surface vessel. Two defense companies separated by vast stretches of water are collaborating on drone boats capable of spotting submarines.
U.S.-based Saildrone and Thales Australia, a division of France-based Thales Group, on April 8 said they would outfit the former’s Surveyor unmanned surface vessels with the latter’s BlueSentry towed arrays capable of detecting and classifying crafts on or below the waves.
The announcement coincided with the start of the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space conference here.
The Department of Defense has long sought an unmanned or autonomous ability to surveil stealthy submersibles; DARPA, for example, more than a decade ago launched the Anti-Submarine Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel effort. Navy leadership has since advocated for a hybrid fleet, with sailors and Marines augmented by smart machines and the equipment they carry.
Defense News last year reported the Navy pictured its manned-unmanned fleet maturing in three phases: prototyping and experimenting from fiscal 2024 to 2028; buying and using in fiscal 2029 through 2033; and becoming fully operational in the years thereafter.
Troy Stephen, vice president of underwater systems at Thales Australia and New Zealand, in a statement said the Surveyor “offers a unique capability within the field of USVs,” adding that his team looks forward to contributing to its “impressive maritime domain awareness” capabilities. Maritime domain awareness provides a deep understanding of the potential repercussions of what’s happening on, below or near the water.
“Thales Australia has a proud history of exporting specialized sonar and acoustic products in support of one of our closest allies, the United States,” Stephen said. “Over two decades, these products have spanned the fields of seismic survey to mine warfare and, more recently, surface ship anti-submarine warfare.”
A Surveyor USV weighs 15 tons and stretches 65 feet. It sports an aluminum hull and keel manufactured by Austal USA.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Christopher Mahoney viewed Surveyor construction last month during shipbuilding tours along the Gulf Coast.
“Using unmanned assets helps put more players on the field by freeing up manned assets for more specific and important tasks,” Franchetti said in a statement at the time. “It’s good to see high tech industry partnering with the traditional shipbuilding industrial base to rapidly deliver cutting-edge products at scale.” (Source: Defense News)
09 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that Venus Aerospace Drone Hits Subsonic Speed. Venus Aerospace‘s supersonic flight test drone achieved a significant milestone with its inaugural flight on February 24, 2024. The eight-foot, 300-pound drone was released at an altitude of 12,000 feet and accelerated to a top subsonic speed of Mach 0.9, covering a distance of 10 miles. Powered by a hydrogen peroxide monopropellant engine operating at 80% thrust to avoid exceeding Mach 1, the test demonstrated flight controls, stability, one component of the Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) propulsion system, telemetry, ground operations, and air launch.
Andrew Duggleby, CTO & Co-Founder of Venus Aerospace, emphasized the significance of using an air-launched platform and a rocket-with-wing configuration for achieving cost-effective and rapid testing of the RDRE as a hypersonic engine. He praised the team’s professionalism and highlighted the wealth of data from the successful test flight to inform and refine future iterations.
“This is how you do hard things: one bite at a time. Up next is the RDRE flight, and ultimately, the hypersonic flight, proving that the RDRE is the engine that unlocks the hypersonic economy,” says CEO & Co-Founder Sarah “Sassie” Duggleby.
Based in Houston, Texas, Venus Aerospace is a pioneering aerospace startup dedicated to shaping the future of hypersonic flight. Comprising a team of experts including PhDs, rocket scientists, and engineers, Venus Aerospace tackles the most significant challenges in aerospace, aiming to achieve speeds of Mach 9. With this ambitious goal, Venus aims to revolutionize global transportation, making one-hour global travel a reality to enhance connectivity and safety worldwide.
https://cuashub.com/content/venus-aerospace-drone-hits-subsonic-speed/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_EAS3dUAjlEvZnRivwIeIkMWcMBuqbz8ahXDHGi4hKnLPP-GaQgs2DyqICTyEuTJUhEDIl6c7W8RpLH9nrCTj1vOU-y2OjGwmtaUUiEPjr10uronA&_hsmi=301830526#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=301830526&utm_source=hs_email(Source: https://cuashub.com/)
09 Apr 24. China’s Monster Delivery Drone Close to First Flight. A new large drone model built by Aviation Industry Corp of China, the country’s leading aircraft manufacturer, has entered the flight-test phase and will carry out its first flight soon, according to the State-owned conglomerate. The HH-100 commercial unmanned cargo plane finished its final high-speed autonomous taxiing test, the last preparatory task before its maiden flight, at Beichuan Yongchang Airport in Sichuan province on Wednesday, AVIC said in a news release. During the test, an HH-100 prototype taxied at a high speed on a runway and then slightly lifted its nose wheel, verifying the model’s autonomous taxiing control system, AVIC said. After the test, the HH-100 project will begin its flight test phase, the company said. The model’s taxiing test phase started in early March at Beichuan Yongchang Airport. Developed by AVIC Xi’an Aircraft Industry in Shaanxi province, HH-100 is the latest freight drone model to have emerged as a result of the nation’s flourishing express delivery industry and the government’s efforts to make full use of China’s low-altitude airspace. With a maximum takeoff weight of 2 metric tons, an HH-100 will be able to fly 520 kilometers with a payload of 700 kilograms, and even farther with lighter payloads. The twin-engine model has been designed with a maximum cruising speed of 300 km per hour and a ceiling altitude of 5,000 meters. Dong Jianhong, the HH-100’s chief designer, said the drone will be capable of serving a wide range of businesses, including short-range cargo transportation, fire monitoring and suppression, delivery of emergency supplies and cloud seeding. The drone features many advantages such as low costs in procurement, operations and maintenance, and a high payload capacity. All of its components are domestically made, he said. In addition to the HH-100, AVIC has designed and tested several cargo drone models. The largest of them, the TP2000, will be able to carry up to 2 metric tons of cargo and will have a flight radius of 2,000 km. It is expected to conduct its maiden flight next year. Industry observers say drones are expected to have many opportunities for development as China relaxes its control over low-altitude airspace and enjoys the continued growth of its online shopping industry. Nearly all of China’s large couriers, including China Post and SF Express, as well as online retailing giant JD have been investing in delivery drones for many years, hoping to take advantage of the country’s expertise in drone systems to build affordable, high-efficiency fleets of drones to service time-sensitive consumers. Globally, Amazon and DHL Express have developed and used drones for delivery service in some trial runs, and are continuing to fund such programs. (Source: UAS VISION/China Daily)
08 Apr 24. ThayerMahan and Ocius Announce Collaboration and Demonstration at AUVSI XPONENTIAL off San Diego April 23-25. The American maritime technology firm ThayerMahan, Inc. and Australian autonomous uncrewed vessel developer Ocius Technology Ltd announce they will collaborate to demonstrate a powerful new capability at the AUVSI XPONENTIAL event 23 to 25 April off San Diego.
“Ocius USV expertise and ThayerMahan sensing expertise are a winning combination” – Ocius CEO Robert Dane
The collaboration places ThayerMahan’s Outpost system of acoustic sensors and digital signal processing aboard Ocius’ Bluebottle Unmanned Surface Vessel. It leverages ThayerMahan’s expertise in deploying sophisticated low power acoustic sensors and advanced, AI-enabled acoustic processing with Ocius’ expertise in providing rugged, long-dwell autonomous vehicles that harvest wind, solar, and wave energy to drive a hull derived from Australia’s world-class sailboat racing designs. ThayerMahan CEO Mike Connor stated, “The speed, maneuverability, and seakeeping characteristics of the Bluebottle USV will allow us to maximize the performance of our sensors.”
Ocius CEO Robert Dane noted, “Ocius USV expertise and ThayerMahan sensing expertise are a winning combination. We look forward to working together off San Diego at the AUVSI XPONENTIAL event April 23-25.” (Source: PR Newswire)
06 Apr 24. Shield AI to let Hivemind software fly three more aircraft. Shield AI in the next year plans to have its Hivemind digital pilot working aboard three additional types of aircraft, bringing the total to nine.
The California-based company has already folded the autonomous flight software into three classes of quadcopters, its own V-Bat drone, the F-16 fighter jet and the Kratos-made MQM-178 Firejet drone.
Up next are two more Kratos products, the XQ-58 and BQM-177, according to Brandon Tseng, the president of Shield AI. The firm has not picked a third candidate.
“We want to put our AI pilot on every aircraft under the sun. The V-Bat is fantastic for what it does, but we also recognize we’re not going to build every single aircraft,” Tseng told C4ISRNET on April 8 at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space conference. “We’ll work with any original equipment manufacturer who wants to play ball.”
The U.S. Defense Department is increasingly interested in the confluence of artificial intelligence and unmanned technologies. Autonomous drones and machinery with control beamed in from afar can explore places deemed too dangerous for troops, assist with targeting, and introduce additional firepower.
The department in fiscal 2025 sought $1.8 bn for AI — the same amount as the year prior. It also recently launched the Replicator initiative, which seeks to deploy thousands of attritable systems to counter the perceived mass of China.
Hivemind’s ability to integrate with different aircraft is the result of Shield AI’s “software infrastructure, design tools and pipelines,” Tseng said, describing it as the “secret sauce.”
“Google has invested bns of dollars into the Android operating system. Tesla has invested bns of dollars into Tesla’s self-driving, which they’re putting on car to car to car to car,” he added. “We’ve invested a lot into a software ecosystem, where we can quickly put it on aircraft to aircraft to aircraft.” (Source: Defense News)
09 Apr 24. Northrop Grumman Corporation has announced the successful completion of the Manta Ray prototype, an uncrewed underwater vehicle designed to conduct long-duration, long-range missions in challenging ocean environments.
Named after the sea creature, Manta Ray represents a leap forward in Northrop Grumman’s undersea exploration technology, offering autonomous operation without the need for on-site human support.
According to GlobalData’s Thematic Intelligence on unmanned maritime vehicles, Northrop’s expertise in advanced networking solutions and platform development has led to its participation in the Angler UUV development programme for the US Navy alongside the Manta Ray programme.
Unmanned maritime vehicles offer advantages, such as lower cost, reduced supply needs, stealthiness, and the ability to operate in risky environments.
Unlike traditional crewed missions, Manta Ray’s design allows it to navigate and operate in remote undersea environments where human access is limited or impossible. This capability opens new possibilities for scientific research, environmental monitoring, and military applications.
Developed as part of a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) initiative, Manta Ray incorporates technologies to enhance energy management, increase payload capacity, and optimise propulsion efficiency. These advancements pave the way for extended undersea missions, making Manta Ray a versatile platform with a variety of applications.
The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) selected three prime contractors for its Manta Ray project. The other chosen contractors included Martin Defense Group (formerly Navatek) and Metron.
One of the key features of Manta Ray is its modular design, which enables easy shipment and in-field assembly using standard shipping containers. This flexibility allows for rapid deployment worldwide, supporting expeditionary missions and ensuring operational readiness in diverse undersea environments.
With its payload-capable architecture and autonomous operation capabilities, Manta Ray represents an advancement in undersea exploration technology for Northrop Grumman. The company’s continued commitment to the undersea domain has led it to develop solutions to meet the evolving needs of maritime operations. (Source: naval-technology.com)
04 Apr 24. First MQ-4C Triton drone arrives at Naval Air Station Sigonella. Italy’s Naval Air Station Sigonella welcomed its first MQ-4C Triton surveillance drone last month, marking the second deployment of the long-range drone for Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19, and the latest step in folding unmanned systems into the conventional fleet.
The drone is designed to support the manned P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, and the Navy has previously tested Triton capabilities in the Indo-Pacific during rotational deployments.
“The addition of the MQ-4C Triton, right here in Sigonella, is another milestone in the successful development of the Triton program,” Capt. Aaron Shoemaker, commanding officer of NAS Sigonella, said in a Navy release. “We are proud to support [Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19] as they integrate with the Fleet to expand the roles of unmanned aircraft systems operations in our region and beyond.”
The Triton supports missions including maritime patrol, signals intelligence, search and rescue and communications relay, and reached initial operating capability in the Navy in September, when Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 deployed to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.
Thus far, the Navy has obtained five of the surveillance drones, which are capable of operating for more than 24 hours, according to a September Northrop Gruman news release.
Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 is the Navy’s first and only squadron of its kind, and is based out of Naval Air Station Jacksonville and Naval Station Mayport in Florida. More than 300 sailors are assigned to the squadron, which will have three detachments once fully operational.
“Aircrew gather and process surveillance information utilizing data fusion tools that integrate sensor data from multiple aircraft into a comprehensive networked picture to further assist in building an accurate threat representation,” the Navy said.
Andersen Air Force Base first received two of the drones in 2020 to operate under Commander Task Force 72 in U.S. 7th Fleet for an early operational capability period. The drone also previously deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and Misawa Air Base in Japan to “refine the concept of operations for expeditionary basing” during the deployment, the Navy said at the time. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
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www.britbots.com/fund
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