The UK Ministry of Defense has tested a new unmanned aerial vehicle designed to protect underwater cables and pipelines.
The project is being implemented by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) in collaboration with industry partners. During testing, the drone has proven its ability to detect explosive devices, place charges for their disposal and ensure the security of critical communications.
The developed device can operate for a long time at depths inaccessible to divers, which allows it to perform tasks more efficiently. It is equipped with modern sensors and cameras that transmit data in real time, providing operators with accurate information about threats. The drone is able not only to identify dangerous objects, but also to interact with other underwater vehicles for detailed scanning of the seabed.
The drone can be launched from a ship or shore, and its multiple uses make the project economically viable. The tests took place not only in the UK, but also in Norwegian waters.
In the future, the main task of this underwater drone will be to combat sabotage and eliminate obsolete unexploded ordnance that poses a threat to underwater communications, divers, and vessels involved in their neutralization.