Unmanned Systems Technology 023 I Milrem Multiscope I Wireless charging I Logistics insight I InterGeo, CUAV London & USA show reports I VideoRay Defender I OS Engines GR400U-FI I Ultrabeam Hydrographic Ultra-2 I IMUs

56 V ideoRay’s unmanned subsea vehicle is designed to be compact enough to be taken wherever it is needed as airline luggage, rather than having to arrange special shipping. However, designing it so that it can also handle a wide range of sensors required significant collaboration between the companies involved in its development. The Defender is the first of VideoRay’s Mission Specialist Series (MSS) of UUVs. It can be operated by one person, while still being capable of replacing larger and more costly vehicles for many tasks. Weighing 18 kg in air, it is highly manoeuvrable and comes equipped with multi-beam sonar for detecting obstructions while navigating and identifying target objects for examination. The thrusters are powerful enough to carry a payload of 10-12 kg, and potentially up to 23 kg in some configurations. VideoRay, which is a major supplier of undersea vehicles, sees the MSS as a system that can be tailored to the sensors, tools, depth rating and thrust needed for a specific job, rather than adding complexity by retrofitting accessories to a ROV. That means the Defender and other MSS systems can be customised to meet the needs of a wide range of uses, from in the oil and gas industry to fish farming, academic research and the nuclear industry. To get a compact system that is also modular though requires considerable attention to detail, says Andy Goldstein, vice-president of engineering and r&d at VideoRay. December/January 2019 | Unmanned Systems Technology Mission accomplished Nick Flaherty explains how collaboration between companies was key to this UUV’s development The Defender UUV weighs 18 kg in air, and can be handled by a single person (Courtesy of VideoRay)