Driving innovation in maritime robotics

Professors Chun Wang and Claude Sammut of UNSW have collaborated with innovative technology organisation, OCIUS, to pioneer a fleet of unmanned vessels that revolutionize ocean monitoring. These renewable energy-powered vessels, equipped with state-of-the-art machine learning and maritime robotics, provide surveillance and insights to those working in defence and environment.

OCIUS’ flagship product, the Bluebottle, exemplifies this innovation. “These boats are designed to stay out on the ocean for months at a time and in areas where we don’t have people regularly on patrol,” says Prof. Sammut. The six-metre-long Bluebottle is powered by solar, wind, and waves – and provides unparalleled insights and 24/7 surveillance, detecting sounds of propellers and capturing footage for remote analysis. “Because Australia has such a huge amount of water to patrol, and it can’t all be done by humans, so having an un-crewed fleet of vessels is a big advantage,” Prof. Sammut explains.

Not only can the Bluebottle detect the sounds of propellers and provide footage to those back on dry land – it uses this data to confirm the legitimacy of other vessels. Once the Bluebottle recognises any potential issues, it simply alerts Border Control who then investigate the situation. Currently, they’re being used for surveillance of illegal fishing and other suspicious activity.

Building a new benchmark together

Professors Wang and Sammut have integrated both software and hardware applications within the Bluebottles. Prof. Wang focuses on sensing and control, while Prof. Sammut specialises in software side of the technology. “OCIUS saw a need for more software development, AI, and computer vision,” says Prof. Sammut. “But they also needed assistance on the mechanical side – the design of the boats, and at the control level, the sensing, too.”

Their collaboration has helped to build strong relationships with OCIUS and opened the doors for further projects – like developing a drone capable of docking with underwater vehicles. Prof. Wang adds, “We’ve also worked on a project to enhance the radar of the boat, which is vital for the boat to stay autonomous and secure.” They aim to create a resilient radar system to counteract potential jamming attempts.

This multidisciplinary research spans a broad range of engineering skills. “We don’t just work across the one thing – we’re looking at the mechanical system of the boat, the software, the sensors, the radar, the flick propulsion system, and more,” explains Prof. Wang. Over the years, they’ve hired robotics engineers, computer engineers, developed prototypes, software, sensor outputs and more.

Connecting via the campus

All of this work is part of an ongoing partnership between OCIUS and UNSW which involves collaborative research, co-location and student placements. The OCIUS team, majority of whom are UNSW alumni, are based on campus, and enjoy collaboration with researchers and students, as well as access to UNSW facilities and equipment. “Our students have gone and taken what they’ve learned from us and applied it with OCIUS,” says Prof. Sammut. “Now, 75% of their employees are our graduates.”

This innovative work underscores the profound potential of maritime robotics to safeguard and study our oceans. “These boats might not interact directly with the community, but they interact indirectly,” says Prof. Sammut.

“From protecting the country through defence applications to monitoring the Great Barrier Reef and seeing the effects of climate change – they’ll have a big impact.”