Nauticus Robotics, a developer of autonomous robots using artificial intelligence for data collection and intervention services for the ocean industries, has launched the first of three second-generation Aquanauts, dubbed the “Mark 2” (MK2).
The Aquanauts will now start commissioning exercises. Following commissioning, Nauticus expects to send the initial Aquanaut MK2 units to the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico in the coming months to support customer initiatives in those regions.
The Aquanaut MK2 is a fully electric, untethered and autonomous subsea robot that is controlled through acoustic communication networking and underpinned by Nauticus’ proprietary software suite, toolKITT. The artificial intelligence-based software suite allows for robotic controls, user interfaces, sensor integration, simulation, data analysis, and communication frameworks purpose-built to enable subsea work.
Aquanaut MK2’s defining capability is operating in two separate modes, actively transforming itself between the excursion and intervention configurations.
Excursion mode involves the usage of data collection and perception sensors, while intervention mode utilizes two of Nauticus’ Olympic Arms – electric work-class manipulators – to perform precise yet powerful interactions with subsea infrastructure and objects to complete complex, underwater tasks.
Nicolaus Radford, founder and CEO of Nauticus, says: “The delivery of our initial second-generation Aquanauts is a significant milestone that accelerates our mission to disrupt the offshore ocean services industry while setting a benchmark for next-generation subsea technology that will fundamentally revolutionize how the industry operates.
“Our autonomous ocean robots and proprietary AI software provide a compelling solution to the marine industry, validated on a recurring basis with the continued interest and robust growth of our commercial pipeline.
“This splashdown allows us to remain on track to deliver two additional Aquanauts by mid-year, which are already committed to fulfill customer demands, as we continue to execute on our commercial pipeline and expand the breadth of our world-class portfolio.”
Nauticus’ comprehensive service solution, leveraging artificial intelligence to perform a wide variety of autonomous underwater tasks, is sought by companies that desire to inspect and interact with the subsea environment at lower cost and increased safety while minimizing environmental impact.
This AI-powered technology coupled with the company’s next generation subsea robots substantially improve the efficiency and safety, while reducing the carbon footprint, of offshore operations at significantly reduced costs over legacy methods.
