Three years of hard work by the 16 key partners of the ENDURUNS consortium were required to design and develop an electric autonomous Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV), integrated with an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV), seeking, among others, to deploy these vehicles in seabed surveying.

The manufacturers and design companies – GRAALTECH, COMEX, ENGITEC, SPACEAPPS, ONAIR, METBALTIC, VALSTYBES IMONE KLAIPEDOS VALSTYBINIO JURU UOSTO DIREKCIJA, HYSYTECH, Z-GROUP, THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM, UNIVERSIDAD DE CASTILLA, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH DEMOKRITOS, CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE (CNR) and TUCO – presented in the city of Klaipeda, Lithuania, the final implementation of navigation and communication of the two systems from July 16-19, 2023.

SWISS APPROVAL, as the Inspection Body for the components of both platforms, used sophisticated, advanced technology testing methods depending on the material. In particular, it inspected the integrity and consistency of the aluminum construction with the modern Phased Array Ultrasound method, and processed the ultrasound signal with special application software, which had the ability to display TFM (Total Focusing Method).

The international project known as ‘Enduruns’ was funded by the European Union through the Horizon 2020 program and the South-Korean government and concerns the design and development of two unmanned systems, surface and underwater, which can communicate with each other, but also be supplied with energy from hydrogen cells, in addition to the lithium batteries that have already been installed and are currently operating in the pilot application. 

The coordinating company is the Greek company ALTUS, COMMERCIAL AND MANUFACTURING SA, distinguished in matters of research, technology, and complex applications. The outstanding technical and constructional competence of all 16 contributors to the project led to an outstanding result that marks a new era in marine research.

The USV prototype is designed to act as a support mother ship for the hybrid UUV, coming out of a crypt with a special mechanism located at the USV’s stern, at the start of a mission. The surface craft is powered by electricity, as lithium batteries are charged by photovoltaic panels and hydrogen cells.

With the help of an audio modem located inside the systems, the USV interacts with the UUV by sending and receiving data, while via a satellite communication system (SATCOM), the remote Command and Control (C2) center sends real-time images, measurements, and parameters of the mission.

The construction of the USV consists of fiberglass and is extremely durable for adverse sea and wind conditions. It is 9 meters long and 2 meters wide. The gross weight is 4.5 tons and it has electric propulsion.

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The prototype UUV has the hydrodynamic shape of a torpedo and is capable of exiting and entering the USV mother ship. Still, it can dive up to 6,000 meters deep, since its construction is made of titanium, while the current aluminum construction is suitable for depths of up to 1,000 meters.

The capabilities of UUV on the seabed are multiple and include a wide range of applications, such as high-resolution seabed mapping, geological and geophysical surveys, inspection of underwater structures, surveillance, and analysis of chemical constituents. Its energy needs are covered by hydrogen fuel cells and lithium batteries.

The lithium batteries can also be automatically recharged when inside the USV mother ship. The UUV is 6 meters long and 60 cm in diameter. Its weight outside the water is 900 kg. Propulsion is carried out with 4 electric propellers, while two fins at the stern help to change depth levels in the sea with minimal use of energy.

The energy supplied to the two systems is 100% environmentally friendly and contributes to the protection of the planet. Project ENDURUNS signals the future of research in the oceans and seas of the planet, revealing the international trend of shipping in the search for the use of environmentally-friendly and cost-effective sources of energy.

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