US Navy reveals plans for autonomous ‘robot battleships’ that can launch killer drones into the air and sea
- The US Navy and researchers from Florida Atlantic University are developing ‘motherships’ that can launch aerial and underwater drones to protect the coast
- Autonomous battleships have a mobile coastal monitoring system and training and education of graduate and undergraduate students in ocean engineering
- FAU was awarded a $1.25million grant from the US Navy to develop the project
The US Navy and researchers from Florida Atlantic University have revealed plans to develop autonomous robotic ‘drone battleships’ that can launch underwater and aerial attacks in order to protect US coasts.
Last month, FAU was awarded $1.25 million by US Navy for research for unmanned marine vehicle platforms.
The five-year project will undertake research in support of autonomous marine vehicle platforms for coastal surveillance, coastal surveys, target tracking and protection of at-sea assets.
The US Navy and researchers from Florida Atlantic University are developing ‘motherships’ that can launch aerial and underwater drones to protect the coast
‘Our focus will be on developing a multi-vehicle system that can safely and reliably navigate coastal waters with a high level of autonomy while performing assigned tasks,’ said Manhar Dhanak, director of SeaTech, the Institute for Ocean and Systems Engineering in FAU’s Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering.
The researchers plan to develop new software to better improve multi-sensors and collision avoidance, as well as simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM).
The ‘motherships’ will also serve as a ‘docking station’ for submarines and aerial drones.
‘Fostering collaborative partnerships in scientific research is essential to ensuring that the United States remains at the forefront of innovation and technology,’ said Stella N. Batalama, Ph.D., dean of FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science.
‘We are very pleased to continue our relationship with the Office of Naval Research. This latest grant will enable us to develop important technology that will help to secure our U.S. coastal waters and our assets at-sea both nationally and globally.’
The ships will also function as training and education for graduate and undergraduate students in ocean engineering.
The US Navy hopes that similar protoypes will become more common.
Unmanned vehicles in the ocean and sub-surface are far less expensive to operate and maintain than manned vehicles.
Automated sensors can maintain near-constant awareness and coverage, and the constant surveillance provides better data collection. They also have the potential to improve productivity, and most importantly, keep human sailors away from danger.
The Navy has also recently developed the Sea Hunter drone warship, a self-driving, 132ft drone warship that can hunt down enemy submarines and travel thousands of miles at sea while obeying maritime laws.
The prototype can reach speeds of 27 knots and uses cameras and radar to track its location and spot other ships.
The anti-submarine drone could join active naval operations as early as this year, ushering in a new era for military warships.
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