Two firms have combined uncrewed assets to demonstrate an autonomous surveillance solution to the Royal Navy as the force gears up to deliver its Atlantic Bastion programme.
U.K.-based maritime technology startup ZeroUSV was established in 2024 and is based in Plymouth. It designs, manufactures, and operates autonomous, long-range uncrewed surface vessels (USVs).
On Tuesday it announced via social media its 12-metre autonomous Oceanus12 USV had for the first time launched a Teledyne Slocum Glider autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) in a live mission demonstration.
The statement noted: “Delivered as part of the Royal Navy’s Atlantic Bastion technical programme and witnessed by senior Royal Navy and DSTL personnel, this milestone underscores the growing operational maturity of autonomous maritime systems.”
It added: “This marks a major step toward a true uncrewed system-of-systems — combining long-endurance surface vessels and subsea gliders for over-the-horizon deployment without a crewed ship.”
The self-righting Oceanus12 USV can operate in heavy seas and has a range of up to 3,400 miles. It uses Marine AI’s GuardianAI TM autonomy software and features a large and configurable payload bay with a 750kg maximum capacity.
Teledyne Marine, part of global firm Teledyne Technologies, produces a wide range of cutting-edge undersea sensors, technology and equipment.
Its Slocum Glider is a modular platform able to accommodate more than 40 different sensors depending on mission requirements.
In a separate programme ZeroUSV is also currently leading a consortium alongside Oshen and MarineAI in a 10-month project backed by the UK’s Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA).
The idea is for Oceanus12 USV autonomously transport and launch a fleet of Oshen mini-USVs acting as passive acoustic sensors, creating a network mesh that can relay data from underwater assets, such as the Royal Navy’s XV Excalibur, the extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle (XLUUV) built by MSubs.
- You can read more details about the Oceanus12 on the ZeroUSV website and more about the Slocum UUV glider on the Teledyne Marine website