80 Since the first AUVs were developed in US universities between the 1950s and 1970s, new UUV systems have been engineered and deployed in every ocean around the world, gathering priceless data for defence, offshore industry, scientific research and other applications. Today, the final edges of the maps are being filled in, with uncrewed systems now operating in places that were once deemed too remote, too shallow, too narrow or unserviceable. A fresh generation of nimble, intelligent, robust and cost-effective solutions is bridging these new frontiers, and a selection of these vehicles are explored below. Hydroelectric plants Graal Tech in Italy is configuring its X-300 Explorer AUV for inspection work in the tunnels of a hydroelectric plant in cooperation with the Norway-based company operating it. “There are regulations requiring companies such as our Norwegian customer to do periodic inspections of those tunnels, not just for the plant’s safety but also its efficiency. If rocks and debris are accumulating inside the tunnels, the flow of water driving the turbines in those tunnels will be impacted, so the power output will drop,” says Alessio Turetta, director of business development at Graal Tech. The company’s X-300 Explorer is a battery-electric AUV, typically measuring 2.1 m long and weighing 25 kg in air. Its Lithium-ion energy storage of 1.2 kWh enables up to 12 hours of operating endurance and a top speed Rory Jackson looks at how different submersible vehicles and robots are handling data-gathering operations at the farthest limits New frontiers February/March 2025 | Uncrewed Systems Technology The X-300 Explorer AUV uses a fibre-optic tether to stream back real-time data on the hydroelectric dam tunnels it autonomously inspects (Image courtesy of Graal Tech)
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