The latest Autosub Long Range (ALR) vehicle being developed under the Oceanids programme successfully completed its first live trials in the waters of Portland Harbour in Dorset, in May last year.
The new autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), ALR1500 – named for the 1500m depth it can achieve – passed its first major test in Portland Harbour with flying colours, successfully demonstrating its integration with the unified web-based Command and Control (C2) software platform that has been developed in parallel by the NOC in partnership with the Scottish Association for Marine Science. These trials demonstrated that the vehicle’s hardware and software systems are communicating effectively with each other, which provides a solid platform as increasingly advanced features are introduced.
 The harbour acceptance trials weren't just of interest to engineers and scientists. The serious business of testing pioneering ocean robots was irresistible for one keen observer – a bottlenose dolphin paid a visit and showed some interest in this new addition to the harbour’s waters.
ALR1500 commissioning success at Loch Ness
Following the Portland trials, ALR1500’s next test was in the waters of Loch Ness, Scotland where two of the three new vehicles (ALR5 and ALR6) went through their first round of commissioning trials. The vehicles carried out a range of test missions of increasing complexity across three weeks in July and August 2019 to test the vehicle’s enhanced functionality, including Terrain Aided Navigation and environmental profiling capabilities.
Oceanids sensors trials
A multidisciplinary team from the NOC returned to Loch Ness in November / December 2019 to conduct trials of the next generation of marine sensors and autonomous underwater vehicles.
Three ALR vehicles were unleashed in the Loch in one of the NOC’s largest single deployments of Autosubs, to deliver field tests of the new CarCASS and AutoNuts sensor payloads and trial their integration with the subs.
The Loch Ness trials saw a total of 10 new sensors put through their paces. Nine of these were NOC-developed ‘lab-on-chip’ devices, alongside one third-party electrochemical pH sensor.
Autosub 2KUI unveiled at MATS
The Oceanids programme was highlighted at last year’s Marine Autonomy and Technology Showcase (MATS), hosted at the NOC in Southampton in November, with a presentation on the new Autosub 2000 Under Ice (A2KUI) delivered by project lead Matthew Kingsland (pictured below).
MATS returns in November, and we'll be providing further updates on Oceanids at the event.
Oceanids in the media
 The latest edition of ECO Magazine features a four-page article focusing on the progress to date of the Oceanids programme.
See the article here (opens ECO Magazine online)
 Earlier this year, UT3 magazine covered the development of Autosub 2KUI.
Read the article here (opens UT3 magazine online - see pages 60-63)
Command and Control (C2)
C2 - the integrated command, control and data management infrastructure for over-the-horizon operation of MAS - is currently being used by the Royal Navy as part of Project Hecla. The platform has been deployed to manage the Navy's submarine glider trials on the Dstl-funded operation currently going ahead in the North Atlantic.
Read more on the Royal Navy's website
Frontiers in Marine Science published a paper on Oceanids C2 this month.
Read the full article here
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