Advanced Navigation has launched a subsea robotics manufacturing and R&D centre in Balcatta, Western Australia, to accelerate production of its Hydrus-branded autonomous underwater bot.
Spanning just over 22,255m2, the new site will serve as a hub for product development and manufacturing, and will help to grow the group’s underwater AI business. On-site resources include “testing facilities with several marine simulation environments”, to enable Advanced Navigation to analyse the performance of new and existing technologies in various subsea conditions, the group says.
Xavier Orr, CEO and co-founder, comments: “The subsea centre will help Advanced Navigation meet demand for high-grade underwater data, bringing new and existing solutions to market far more quickly and efficiently. With the goal to grow our subsea team threefold, this investment will advance our understanding of the oceans.” The centre has received support from the University of Western Australia, Curtin University and philanthropic organisation Minderoo.
Launched in Q4 2022, the 6.7kg Hydrus measures 470mm x 260mm x 260mm, incorporates seven battery powered thrusters and can descend to 3,000m (see Ship & Boat International May/June 2022, page 24 for more technical info). Since its launch, the bot has been used by the University of Western Australia Ocean Institute to assess how natural and artificial reef structures can protect coastlines by dissipating wave energy.
