Unmanned Systems Technology 042 | Mayflower Autonomous Ship | Embedded Computing | ElevonX Sierra VTOL | UUVs insight | Flygas Engineering GAS418S | Ocean Business 2021 report | Electric motors | Priva Kompano

88 turbidity measurements with calculated salinity, density and sound velocity values. Valeport also used Ocean Business to unveil its concept for the evolution of the Midas Bathypack, which is due to be launched later this year. The new Bathy2 will operate down to 6000 m and generate sound velocity and density profiles for precision depth and height data in a single integrated package that can be used from surface or underwater vehicles or fixed drop structures. It features interchangeable pressure modules, also from Valeport, which can be swapped in the field to allow users enhanced accuracy at different depths of interest. Fabian Bannasch said that Evologics has used the long period of enforced office-bound activity during the pandemic to accelerate some of its developments, and was able to unveil advances in acoustic comms and positioning as well as robotics. Among the former is a new positioning methodology called quick long baseline (qLBL), which is designed for use in confined waters such as harbours and test pools. It offers sub-centimetric positioning and very high update rates for AUVs and other devices. Its refresh rate is up to 10 Hz, enabling what the company calls ultra-fast target tracking. Of Evologics’ range of marine robots, two were on display. These were the Sonobot 5 USV (featured in UST 37, April/ May 2021) and the Quadroin (see page 64 of this issue), a small new penguin- shaped AUV designed by Evologics together with Professor Burkard Baschek during his time at the German research organisation Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon. The Sonobot 5 is a new version of its small catamaran platform, and is designed to be both more robust and faster, with a top speed of 5 m/s. Aimed at hydrographic survey and object search & location missions, the Sonobot 5 incorporates a new object recognition feature that works with both sonar and video data. It can also recognise specific object categories. The corresponding hardware module for real-time detection is installed aboard the vehicle. It was, however, the Quadroin with its low drag form and colouration that attracted most attention at the show, Bannasch said. Designed to operate in swarms, the 25 kg, 1082 mm-long, 293 mm-diameter AUV is electrically propelled by four thrusters at the tail that give it the same 5 m/s top speed as the Sonobot 5. It also features an antenna for use at the surface that folds down flush with the body when the vehicle submerges. The week before the show, Evologics had three Quadroins in the water swimming in very close formation, Bannasch said. “From the beginning it was designed to be a swarm vehicle, and they maintain 3D formations under water. We have now got them swimming at full speed in formation and going through all their manoeuvres, including synchronous February/March 2022 | Unmanned Systems Technology The penguin-like Quadroin from Evologics The MiniIPS2 pressure sensor from Valeport