IAA - OCEAN2020: Realtime Detection of Underwater Targets from the Autonaut Autonomous Surface Vehicle

The aim of the project was to implement and demonstrate a new autonomous real-time product for detecting underwater targets at sea using the Seiche towed hydrophone array deployed from the Autonaut wave-propelled uncrewed surface vehicle (USV). This was then extended to include the Manta extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle (XLUUV) of the Royal Navy under funding from a successful bid to the Dstl Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA). These new capabilities have several purposes, including autonomous defence from underwater intrusion by crewed and autonomous submersibles and monitoring of underwater anthropogenic activities and marine biology.