Ocean Power Technologies demonstrates WAM-V maritime drone in U.S. Army coastal trials

Ocean Power Technologies CEO Philipp Stratmann joined Steve Darling from Proactive to debate the corporate’s participation in a week-long U.S. Army demonstration designed to guage superior autonomous maritime applied sciences working in among the most difficult nearshore environments.

The demonstration is being carried out by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory at its Field Research Facility in Duck, North Carolina. Following a aggressive technical analysis course of, OPT was chosen to showcase its WAM-V® autonomous maritime drone platform in dwell coastal situations that embody surf zones, breaking waves, sturdy currents and coastal inlets.

The program is targeted on figuring out applied sciences able to sustaining uncrewed floor automobile operations in environments which can be historically tough and probably hazardous for manned vessels. During the trials, ERDC is evaluating platforms and sensing applied sciences that may assist essential missions similar to bathymetric mapping and submerged-hazard detection.

These capabilities have essential functions for each army and civilian operations. Potential makes use of embody U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil roads tasks in addition to army logistics-over-the-shore missions, the place correct details about water depths, underwater obstacles and shoreline situations is crucial for secure navigation and operational planning.

OPT’s WAM-V platform is particularly engineered for harsh marine environments. Its distinctive articulating suspension system helps enhance stability whereas decreasing structural stress when working in waves and tough water situations. The vessel’s modular design additionally permits it to hold a wide range of sensing and data-collection payloads, making it appropriate for protection, scientific analysis, environmental monitoring and civil engineering functions.

While participation within the demonstration doesn’t represent a procurement contract or assure future trade, ERDC has indicated that applied sciences demonstrating sturdy efficiency may very well be thought-about for added testing and analysis applications, topic to future funding availability.

#proactiveinvestors #oceanpowertechnologiesinc #nyseamerican #optt #PhillipStratmann #PowerBuoy #WAMV #MaritimeTech #MaritimeTechnology #DefenseTech #ArtificialIntelligence #AutonomousSystems #USCoastGuard #OceanInnovation #Defense #CleanTech