UUV Capabilities to Expand for Operations in Dynamic Environments

To expand uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) capabilities for advanced operations in dynamic environments, Metron Inc. has signed a partnership agreement with Cellula Robotics, USA Inc. 

This new agreement will leverage the expertise of both companies and address specific technical gaps in the UUV defense and offshore energy markets, particularly for multi-payload, long duration mission operations where communications are often denied or restricted. 

As part of the new alliance, Metron’s Resilient Mission Autonomy™ portfolio will be integrated into Cellula’s Solus and Imotus families of vehicles to deliver AI-enabled situational awareness and execute real-time onboard mission adaption, rerouting and replanning, all with a multi-payload management system and the flexibility for ship or port-to-port mission deployments. 

Cellula’s Solus-LR and Solus-XR platforms (the latter with an operational range of at least 5,000 kilometers), will be equipped with Cellula’s cutting-edge hydrogen fuel cell technology, supporting sustainable, long duration operations with zero carbon emissions. 

The result is a scalable UUV solution using a reconfigurable vehicle profile that will lower risk, reduce cost, and maximize mission flexibility and efficiencies to better serve the U.S. Defense, Offshore energy, subsea telecommunications, and marine scientific exploration markets.

As surface and subsea operations mature, government agencies and commercial companies are looking to speed up the development of uncrewed platforms that can work alone or in tandem to cover larger areas more efficiently and sustainably, especially in commercial surveys, and in environments for very long periods of time. 

As part of the collaboration, Metron and Cellula will actively deliver their joint solutions to national security stakeholders and the commercial offshore energy customers. In addition, both parties will be actively engaged in offshore energy inspection and survey technology developments which will benefit the operational planning, execution, and data deliveries for the entire offshore supply chain. 

The combined solution will allow for high value data to be collected and quality flagged, with the added value of adapted mission planning on location to influenced vehicle behaviors, all with a zero emissions pledge. 

The companies are commercializing long operational endurance, payload and mission-capable systems that allow for multiple weeks at sea, above and below the waves, with lower risks and reduced costs.

“This strategic collaboration signifies a major milestone in harnessing the expertise of Metron and Cellula to advance the frontier of long duration, multi-payload subsea capabilities,” said Van Gurley, CEO of Metron. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Cellula to deliver disruptive innovations that will enable greater capability and impact for U.S. Defense and commercial clients.”

Neil Manning, CEO of Cellula Robotics, USA, stated; “This partnership represents a shared commitment to leverage expertise in the areas of hardware, software, and fuel cell technologies to expand UUV missions for dynamic and long-duration missions. 

“The combined brain trust of Cellula and Metron brings hundreds of years of real world expertise to solve many of the challenges seen in subsea harsh environments, and reaffirms the critical role industry has to play delivering disruptive innovations into the evolving landscape of surface and subsea maritime missions.”