Steber SolarSailor is developing unmanned surface vessels (USVs) called 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 Blue Bottle 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.
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.
