MoU sets framework for deploying clustered deep-water profiling floats via ACUA Ocean’s USV PIONEER.
ACUA Ocean has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with RS Aqua, marking a significant step forward in the development and deployment of long-endurance uncrewed offshore systems. RS Aqua, a leader in cutting-edge ocean technology dedicated to enabling the discovery, understanding and protection of the marine environment, will work alongside ACUA Ocean to expand the scope and capability of persistent offshore sensing operations.
This strategic agreement sets the framework for scaling long-endurance offshore missions, with uncrewed systems deploying persistent AI-enabled deep water acoustic sensors in open oceans. The partnership will accelerate the technical integration and operational development for clusters of RS Aqua’s NiKA ASW Profiling Floats with MARLIN AI acoustic processing systems being deployed offshore by ACUA Ocean’s long-endurance, high sea state capable USV PIONEER.
This combined vessel ‘mothership and payload’ concept will allow the deployment of dozens of ASW floats from USV PIONEER in a single mission. It will enable a persistently-poised platform able to deploy deep-water sensors at immediate notice and eliminate the operational risks and high costs associated with crewed vessels and manual deployment in hazardous offshore environments
Neil Tinmouth, CEO of ACUA Ocean said “Partnering with RS Aqua enables the perfect conceptual and technological match of their suite of technologies, particularly the NiKA floats and MARLIN software, with USV PIONEER. This is another example of where we believe that USV PIONEER offers something that cannot be found in any similarly-sized and priced USV – a highly cost-effective method of poising a mobile launch platform in open-ocean conditions over several weeks, from which hundreds of highly-capable underwater sensors can be launched.”
Ryan Mowat, Director of Innovation at RS Aqua said, “Our partnership with ACUA Ocean means that for the first time we will be able to deploy large numbers of covert ocean monitoring systems from an uncrewed vessel that has regulatory approval and is proven in high sea states. This capability will be a game-changer for the fields of ocean science and anti-submarine warfare, making the rapid deployment of smart underwater monitoring systems across the globe quicker, safer and cheaper.”
