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The 042-series Alterra Submersible Cave Exploration Droid from Subnautica.
This guy was scrapped in the end and remained purely a concept, but it would have been an automated probe deployed by the Cyclops sub to investigate caves (relatively) risk-free.
Here it is encountering the (also unimplemented) "Cave Thing" (likely an early version of the also scrapped Grabcrab) from the player’s perspective. Evidenced by Ryley’s reflection, this guy would’ve been pretty small.
The droid has the unit designation "6872" on its side. Unlike the Camera Drones this machine would’ve been fully autonomous.
Advanced Underwater Missions Operated by Unmanned Systems
Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) can serve for a wide variety of missions, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare, etc. The German Navy has recently received new REMUS 100 unmanned underwater vehicles from Huntington Ingalls
Why are Chinese fishers finding so many ‘submarine spies’?
At first, it seems like a quirky, what-are-the-chances-of-that headline: “China rewards fishers who netted foreign spy devices.” But behind that headline in Chinese state media, there is a different – and more intriguing – story.
Firstly, this wasn’t two or three fishermen receiving awards. It was 11 – one woman, the rest men – who found seven devices in total.
Secondly, this wasn’t the first time fishermen from Jiangsu had found “spy drones.” In 2018, some 18 were rewarded for finding nine devices. There was also a ceremony a year earlier.
And thirdly, the rewards were huge – up to 500,000 yuan ($72,080) – around 17 times the average disposable income in China.
So, where do “submarine spies” come from? What do they do? Why are they valuable? And why are Chinese fishers finding so many?
Jiangsu is a province in eastern China, with a coastline of more than 1,000km (620 miles) long. It faces Japan and South Korea, while Taiwan is around 500 miles south. This geography – and the vast US presence in the region – begins to explain why fishers keep finding these devices.
China has not revealed where the devices came from, merely saying they were “made in other countries.” Regional expert and consultant Alexander Neill says they probably came from “the US Navy, the Japan Self-Defense Forces, or potentially Taiwan – this is a big area of rivalry.”
So what are the Americans, the Japanese, or the Taiwanese hoping to learn?
In 2009, the US Navy sponsored research into underwater drones, broadly known as “unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs).” The inquiry recommended seven ways UUVs could be used, including:
Tracking “potentially adversary submarines.”
Looking for and dealing with underwater bombs – particularly in other countries’ waters.
Deploying surveillance equipment.
Monitoring “undersea infrastructure,” such as communication cables.
The research also highlighted the strengths of UUVs. Gliders – a smaller UUV, likely to be what the Jiangsu fishermen found – can be deployed for “months” and are “cheap enough to be considered expendable.”
In this instance, cheap means “only tens of thousands of dollars.” Their cost, range, and capability mean “submarine spies” are increasingly important – Mr. Neill estimates the number worldwide is “certainly in the upper hundreds.”
So this explains – in part – why they keep turning up in Chinese nets. The country has a huge fishing fleet, and the law of averages suggests it will scoop up the occasional drone. It’s also true that China’s fishing fleet is different from other countries’. Some fishermen, themselves, are part of the military – and understanding how this unique unit works could explain why they keep finding military hardware.
The Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) is part of the national militia – that is, the civilian reserve forces. It is “virtually unique and publicly obscure,” according to Professor Andrew S. Erickson from the US Naval War College – but it is well-known to the United States military.
According to a 2017 report by the US Department of Defense, the CMM has played “significant roles in several military campaigns and coercive incidents over the years.” In the past, the CMM rented vessels from companies or fishers. But now, the DoD says, “it appears China is building a state-owned fishing fleet for its militia force.” Indeed, Mr. Neill says many boats are merely “masquerading as fishing vessels – they’re actually doing naval and maritime surveillance against China’s rivals.” “On paper, they look like sophisticated, modern trawlers,” he says. “But they are actually, essentially, military-type vessels – steel-hulled, not wooden-hulled, with increasing tonnage. If you look at photographs, it’s clear they’re networked in – because of their signaling capabilities – with the [regular navy] command and control network.”
In effect, the fishing fleet can provide a low-level, first line of defense or surveillance – a military force working under a civilian cloak. “A very significant swathe of China’s fishing fleet is co-opted into the militia,” says Mr. Neill. “I would have thought, with a little digging, you would find these guys [the Jiangsu fishermen] may well be part of it.”
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The autonomous systems industry is reaching an inflection point.
As UAVs, UGVs, USVs, and UUVs scale from prototypes to production fleets, success will depend on more than the vehicles themselves. Behind every platform is a critical technology stack of propulsion, power management, control systems, software, and manufacturing infrastructure.
The future of autonomous systems may be defined not only by the vehicles being built, but by the technologies that enable the entire ecosystem to scale.
#AutonomousSystems #UAV #UGV #USV #UUV #DefenseTech #Aerospace #ElectricPropulsion #ePropelled #Innovation
The Hidden Challenge in Autonomous Systems: Why Technology Partners Matter More Than Ever
In the early stages of an industry, attention focuses on the companies building the final product.
As industries mature, value often migrates to the companies providing the critical technologies that enable the entire ecosystem.
We saw this with semiconductors, networking, software, telecommunications, renewable energy, and automotive.
Today, there are hundreds of UAV, UGV, USV, and UUV manufacturers worldwide. Many are building exceptional platforms and creating remarkable innovation. Our customers are among the leaders driving this transformation.
But there is a structural reality that is becoming increasingly important. The Unmanned Systems industry has a hidden ecosystem challenge.
Most industries follow a pyramid structure.
There are normally thousands of component/systems suppliers, which in turn support a relatively small number of end product manufacturers. As you move up the pyramid, the number of companies decreases.
The Unmanned Systems industry looks very different. Today, hundreds of drone manufacturers compete in the market, while only a small number of suppliers can deliver production-ready systems, and software platforms, in volume.
Every autonomous vehicle depends upon a complex technology stack:
• Propulsion systems
• Power electronics
• Flight and vehicle controllers
• Telemetry and software platforms
• Manufacturing and supply chain infrastructure
As fleets scale from dozens of vehicles to thousands — and eventually millions — the challenge is no longer proving the technology.
The challenge is delivering.. At scale.. Reliably.. Cost effectively.. And with sovereign, secure supply chain.
The most forward-thinking OEMs understand this. They know their long-term success depends not only on great vehicles, but on great technology partners.
That is why we are seeing increasing focus on companies that provide foundational technologies across multiple platforms and vehicle categories. At ePropelled, our objective has never been to build a drone, ground vehicle or marine vehicle.
Our objective is to build the propulsion, power, control, and intelligence infrastructure that enables the autonomous systems industry to scale. When a customer succeeds with a UAV, UGV, USV, or UUV platform, we succeed alongside them.
As the industry moves from prototypes to production, from demonstrations to deployment, and from programs to fleets, I believe the strategic value of the enabling technology layer will become increasingly apparent.
The future leaders of autonomous systems may not be defined solely by the vehicles they build. They may also be defined by the technologies partners that power the entire ecosystem, since there are far fewer of them.