Ocean Infinity has announced the launch of Armada, which it describes as a “new pioneering marine technology and data company.” With a focus on combining technology and sustainability, Armada will initially add 15 bespoke designed marine robots to Ocean Infinity’s current fleet of AUVs. “We are very excited to be launching Armada, which perfectly complements the other service offerings in the Ocean Infinity Group,” says Dan Hook, managing director for Armada. “The pioneering technology makes our operations world leading in terms of environmental sustainability and safety, whilst still achieving the very highest levels of data quality and value for our clients.”

Sonardyne International Ltd. has acquired 2G Robotics Inc., which specializes in underwater imaging and inspection. Joining Sonardyne’s group of companies, 2G Robotics will remain an independent business and brand, and continue to serve its customer base in unmanned and autonomous underwater vehicles, as well as remotely operated vehicles. “2G Robotics has a dedicated research team and well developed product and service lines, with scope for growth,” says John Ramsden, Sonardyne’s managing director.

Considered a first for the offshore wind sector, XOCEAN’s XO-450 USV recently conducted seabed surveys on seven of the turbines at the Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm, a joint venture between SSE Renewables and innogy.  To validate data collection before the vessel departed the work locations, experts located in the United Kingdom monitored the data collected from shore in real-time throughout the survey.  According to XOCEAN, the survey demonstrates the “highly flexible and collaborative nature” of this technology, which ultimately allows industry experts to have direct access to real time data, from any location.

As the U.S. Navy continues to develop and integrate unmanned maritime systems into its repertoire, members of the government and the unmanned systems industry agree they will need to continue relying on each other to make these systems a regular part of the armed forces. “What I really appreciate is industry’s willingness to get on board with the Navy’s vision for the family of systems that can be upgraded throughout their life,” said Capt. Pete Small, USN, program manager, PMS 406, on a government panel during the Unmanned Systems Integration Seminar, presented by the Naval Submarine League and AUVSI.