News

Steber SolarSailor is developing unmanned surface vessels (USVs), known as SSS BlueBottles. These are self-sustaining marine platforms running totally on energy available at sea. They require no fuel, no supplies and no crew and one remote person, out of harms way, can control and monitor multiple platforms in a network. Each vehicle is self-deploying and retrieving, can roam widely or stay on station for months to years in all weather conditions and has a large payload capacity for customers sensors and communications.

The low cost per byte of data ratio possible is described by the CSIRO as ‘disruptive’ for ocean monitoring and surveillance. SSS BlueBottle has five times the data transmission capacity, speed, power and payload compared to known USV competitors and a lower cost per unit than that of an aerial drone or manned ship.

SSS Bluebottles aim to serve as a powerful adjunct to manned and unmanned aircraft, manned ships and submarine operations by reducing cost and adding capability. Networking swarms of bluebottles into aerial, sea and radar detection systems can provide a very extensive early alarm system to guide other defence capabilities toward areas of concern and conflict. Bluebottles can also provide effective submarine detection and mine hunting capability.

7 years of research on USVs

Formed R&D and Industry partners:

This is revolutionary approach to achieving low cost, persistent, wide area ocean surveillance for defense and security, oceanographic, hydrography and oil and gas applications.

Existing unmanned surface vehicles use fuel or batteries, and therefore have limited time in operation. Success in USV applications requires high endurance, low cost and large payload capacity for data-gathering and communication tools.

By harvesting wind, wave and solar energy, SSS BlueBottles are self-propelled, self-deployable and retrievable, and provide 500W average electrical power 24/7 with kW maximum supply for sensors and communications. They are low cost for widespread deployment, rugged and reliable in weather extreme ocean conditions.

SS USVs achieve this performance by integrating these features:

• Solar and wind power via pivoting SolarSails
• Wave power to recharge batteries
• Unlimited time at sea
• Inter-interoperability and networking
• Large battery storage and payload capacity
• High efficiency DC motor/generator generates electricity

The USV excels in important characteristics for success: ie endurance, payload, coverage, accuracy, communications and exceeds in other areas such as stability, stealth, self-deployment, self- recovery and speed.

Comparison with known competitor

	Competitor	SSS BlueBottle
Propulsion	Wave	Wind, solar + wave
Speed	0.4 to 2 knots	4 – 6 knots
Energy for sensors	Solar	Wind, solar, wave
Solar area/power	80 W (Peak) flat on deck, shaded by mast, cannot track the sun	2000 W (Peak) = 25x Not shaded can track the sun
Energy storage and payloads	Drag	Useful Ballast +++
Energy storage capacity	Li Ion 665 Watt – hours	Lead Acid 16,800 Watt-hours =25x
Collision avoidance
Roll dampened
Height above water for camera/radar
Fouling of propulsor

Stebercraft has 50 years experience of selling marine craft to Navy, Fisheries and Police, and Solar Sailor has 13 years of IP development with proven technology and deliverables. We have proven the capacities of the product with an engineering development model and by March 2014 we will have the first oceanographic prototype proven to TRL 6-7 operating off Australia selling data to the CSIRO. By December 2014 we expect to have 3 defence prototypes networked to TRL 8.

For more information contact SolarSailor