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IKTPLUSS-IKT og digital innovasjon

OASYS - Ocean-Air synoptic operations using coordinated autonomous robotic SYStems and micro underwater gliders

Alternative title: OASYS - Kombinerte hav-luft operasjoner med koordinerte autonome robotsystemer og mikro undervannsglidere

Awarded: NOK 4.0 mill.

Underwater gliders are a type of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) that use changes in buoyancy as a main source of propulsion. Being extremely energy efficient allows them to stay out at sea for several months at a time. They are used in environmental monitoring, as well as climate and ocean research. This project will investigate how a newly developed small sized underwater glider could be utilized in the defence sector. Larger gliders are already used for military applications out at sea, but they have traditionally not been considered for use in littoral waters or in ports, which is especially important along the vast Norwegian coast. A small propeller will be added to the existing underwater glider prototype to work in very shallow waters, and methods for controlling a group of several vehicles will be developed. Their use in a defence context will be evaluated in collaboration with the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) and representatives of the Norwegian Armed Forces. The project will conclude with a technical demonstration of the gliders alongside other autonomous marine systems from the defence sector. This will show what these platforms can do with current technology, but also open up discussion on concepts for future developments in underwater gliders and autonomous maritime systems in general.

The original OASYS project proposed an innovative type of fully automated Ocean-Air coordinated robotic operation that has the potential to drastically reduce the cost of ocean observing systems with many civilian applications. This was done through development of low-cost Micro Underwater Gliders (MUGs) that can operate autonomously with the support of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) for deployment, recovery, battery charging, and communication relay. This supplementary project investigates how the micro underwater gliders from the original project could be utilized in the defence sector. Larger gliders are already used for military applications out at sea, they have traditionally not been considered for use in littoral waters or in ports, which is especially important for the Norwegian Armed forces with our long coastline. Hybrid propulsion will be added to the original micro underwater gliders to enable operation in very shallow waters, and methods for controlling a swarm of three vehicles will be developed. Their use in a defence context will be evaluated in collaboration with the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) and representatives of the Norwegian Armed Forces. The project will conclude with a technical demonstration of the gliders alongside other autonomous marine systems from the defence sector. This will show what these platforms can do with current technology, but also open up discussion on concepts for future developments in underwater gliders and autonomous maritime systems in general.

Funding scheme:

IKTPLUSS-IKT og digital innovasjon