The Royal Australian Navy has received its fifth and final BlueBottle Uncrewed Surface Vessel. Powered by the wind, waves, and the sun, the BlueBottle can cover long distances, undertake a variety of missions, and stay at sea for extended periods. Ocius Technologies Ltd, an Australian engineering company based in Sydney, designed and manufactured the 7-metre-long BlueBottle. The company specialises in creating autonomous solutions for maritime surveillance. The Royal Australian Navy will add the latest BlueBottle to a fleet of four already in service.
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Defence, Matt Thistlethwaite: “Ocius Technologies and other innovative local businesses are the engine room of the Australian defence industry. They provide leading edge capabilities to assist in contending with an increasingly complex strategic environment. Investing in partnerships with Australian companies such as Ocius Technologies is critical if Australia is going to meet the challenges of our dynamic strategic environment.”
Bluebottle USVs have greater power, payload and performance compared to known competitors and are able to navigate freely and indefinitely across the world’s oceans. Bluebottles harvest all the weather on the ocean; the sun, the wind and the waves so they can advance under all conditions and can remain at sea for months at a time. Applications for USVs are myriad and measured in the billions of dollars. Major entities in offshore energy, defence and science are investing heavily in uncrewed systems for “dull, dirty or dangerous” operations.
Already Ocius is working with two major private-sector partners to develop USVs capable of undertaking specific high value applications in hydrography and defense. The team at Ocius is focusing all of our experience, networks and love of the sea to create a revolutionary Australian technology for the world’s oceans. Ocius Technology Ltd is an Australian Sydney-based engineering company developing and delivering autonomous solutions for maritime surveillance.
