Three projects, with different (and sometimes dangerous) technologies and objectives, but with one thing in common: the absence of a crew on board
Autonomous driving, initially born in the automotive field, is gradually conquering other sectors. Now is the time of the nautical one where three projects are in the testing phase, even very advanced, both in the private and in the governmental field.
The best known, perhaps, is the Saildrone that – in a similar way to seagliders – has as its main objective to monitor the health of the sea and fish fauna. These are small trimarans with rigid sails in carbon fiber, which are able to keep the course thanks to a counterweight positioned at the bow. The presence of a keel allows them to right themselves in case they “capsize”. They are equipped with a rudder and guided by a satellite link that also serves to transmit oceanographic data collected through special sensors.
Monitoring the sea and its inhabitants
(Taken from Vimeo)
The Saildrone project was born thanks to an initial investment of $ 2.5 million by Eric Schmidt (former CEO of Google) and his wife Wendy. These trimarans of about seven meters have, in fact, already sailed for about 60 thousand nautical miles and have behind some important missions such as, for example, in the Bering Sea in Alaska and a couple of times in the Gulf of Mexico. The Saildrones are not for sale but can be rented – for $ 2,500 per day – by scientists, researchers, meteorologists, companies in the fishing industry, which in this way obtain important information on certain aspects and places of their interest. L’obiettivo finale di Richard Jenkins – fondatore e CEO di Saildrone – è però quello di raccogliere dati scientifici e spera, in un prossimo futuro, di vedere una flotta di suoi trimarani self-driving solcare i mari di mezzo mondo per capire l’entità dei danni causati dal surriscaldamento globale e prevedere a che velocità stanno evolvendo.
Amsterdam e i suoi canali
I Roboat, a differenza dei Saildrone, nascono da un progetto quinquennale costato 25 milioni di euro fortemente voluto dall’AMS (Advanced Metropolitan Solutions) della città di Amsterdam – in collaborazione con il MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), la Delft University of Technology e la Wageningen University and Research. L’obiettivo? Dotare la capitale olandese di imbarcazioni che si muovano in maniera autonoma per i canali trasportando merci e persone. L’obiettivo in un prossimo futuro potrebbe essere il monitoraggio ambientale e dei fondali così come la pulizia dei canali da rifiuti solidi o agenti inquinanti.
Fonte foto: Moyan Brenn | MIT
I Roboat trasporteranno merci e persone lungo i canali di Amsterdam
Fiutare le bombe sottomarine
Un compito molto più pericoloso è quello delle barche AWCTUV a guida autonoma sviluppate dal Darpa. Battelli di 40 metri che hanno, invece, l’obiettivo di tenere d’occhio eventuali sottomarini, ma soprattutto di stanare le mine sottomarine. Serviranno, però, almeno due anni di test, prima di vederli all’opera.
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