Sea-Air-Space 2019: Boeing unveiled long-duration Wave Glider USV.

U.S. defence contractor Boeing has unveiled the “most experienced unmanned surface vehicle on the planet” during annual Sea-Air-Space Exposition, the largest maritime exposition in the United States. The new long-duration ocean robot, commonly known as Wave Glider, is designed and manufactured by Liquid Robotics, a Boeing company.

The Wave Glider USV (Picture Source: Liquid Robotics)

Operating at the surface, these unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) provide the essential link between sea, air, and space. They expand how we collect ocean and marine data, bridging a data and access gap previously inaccessible, and can transform subsea sensors into real-time information sources.

Navies of the world face shrinking budgets, ageing technology, and expanding threats from undersea. The Wave Glider platform is a persistent and highly durable USV that can host or tow a range of sensors, giving defence customers access to real-time maritime data.

Wave Gliders host payloads and tow sensors to provide undersea connectivity, addressing initial detection challenges and enabling tip and cue of aerial assets. At the British Royal Navy’s Unmanned Warrior exercise, Liquid Robotics and Boeing used a network of persistent USVs to detect, report and track a live submarine.

Wave Gliders are low-observable, mobile platforms that enable over-the-horizon surveillance with both surface and sub-surface payloads. Wave Gliders also provide an essential link to connect seabed to space nearly anywhere in the ocean. Powered by a wave and solar energy, the Wave Glider is an autonomous, unmanned surface vehicle (USV) that operates individually or in fleets delivering real-time data for up to a year with no fuel.

The Wave Glider Unmanned Surface Vehicle (Picture Source: Liquid Robotics)