AQUA2

cutting-edge autonomous underwater vehicle

Aqua2 is the flagship state-of-the-art autonomous underwater vehicle from Independent Robotics. It fuses advanced hardware, open-source operating system, and grounded AI with modular sensor packages to excel at an increasing series of complex underwater tasks

solving real-world challenges

Modular configurable sensor package

Originating from high-powered walking robots, Aqua2’s ability to autonomously start and end a maritime mission on dry land is un-parralled.

Amphibiosity allows Aqua2 to operate in confined and dynamic bodies of water - impossible to navigate by conventional AUVs.

Grounded Artificial Intelligence

Aqua2 uses unique AI in 3 separate ways to give the operators significant advantage over other AUVs or human-piloted non-intelligent ROVs.

Advanced manouevring and motor controls. The robot can compensate for damage or the unexpected whilst conducting agile manoeuvres in challenging environments to keep on mission. This intelligence gives the Aqua2 a survivability and reliability edge over its nearest competitors.

Computer Image processing and recognition. Stereo front cameras can perceive depth, identify objects (and human diver gestures) and uses that intelligence to navigate, avoid obstacles, and achieve mission objectives. Trained human pilots not required.

Post-Mission Analysis. Up to 12 hour missions normally means a great deal of video-watching for the human team once the mission is complete. Even with fast-forwarding, the effort to analyze and summarise mission data enormous and significant advantage can be gained when the Insight Engine is debriefing and reporting missions in a fraction of time and logistical burden - elevating human analysts to supervisors.

The world’s only truly amphibious AUV

Originating from high-powered walking robots, Aqua2’s ability to autonomously start and end a maritime mission on dry land is un-parralled.

Amphibiosity allows Aqua2 to operate in confined and dynamic bodies of water - impossible to navigate by conventional AUVs.

Diver-safe human robot teaming

Aqua2 features IR’s latest technology for object recognition to both aid collision avoidance and become an asset for human divers.

With gesture recognition and mid-mission visual commands, Aqua2 has been proven to support dive missions as an autonomous support vehicle. It excels in solving navigation challenges underwater, leading divers to locations directly and minimising consumption of their air.

The vehicle can conduct any number of autonomous behaviours as its onboard intelligence understands the mission, the environment, and the gestures from the human diver. It can video document the dive, gather additional data, and tests have even shown it capable of towing a diver.

Lightweight & highly portable

Aqua2 is single-person portable and deployable - a key design factor which supports the maritime commander or infrastructure supervisors need to quickly investigate and understand the conditions and realities on our coasts and dhangerous shallow waters.

It can be deployed by hand and will orientate itself and proceed with its mission after just 2 seconds in the water.

Aqua2 has a nominal endurance of 12 hours and can call and navigate home using pre-planned scenarios.

Resiliant and survivable

Aqua2 is highly engineered for resiliance in the harsh and dynamic environment of underwater. It’s onboard intelligent motor controls can tolerate damage to 2 seperate fins and/or servo motors and be able to continue mission. It’s fail-safe transponder beacon and high-factor pressure testing means the Mk3, with now years of harsh underwater testing under its belt, is highly reliable and available for mission.

Equipped for autonomous applications: The AQUA2 is equipped with a forward- facing stereo camera for positioning and 3D environment reconstruction, a third camera for seafloor inspection, inertial and depth sensors, and an external waterproof connector for custom sensor configurations. A real-time embedded control CPU and a powerful Nvidia GPU module process incoming data in real- time and allow the AQUA2 to safely operate autonomously in depths of up to 100’.

Excels in research: The AQUA2’s ROS-based software stack allows for easy customization and development of new code. The robot contains a robust, configurable autopilot mode that maintains target pose and speed based on IMU readings. Both training and execution of neural nets are possible with the powerful and efficient Nvidia GPU module.

Lightweight and portable: The majority of underwater aquatic vehicles require significant shore support and deployment equipment. The AQUA2 is highly portable and can be deployed by a single person.

The AQUA2 is delivered using two standard sized shipping containers (Pelican cases) that can be transported by commercial aircraft carriers as regular luggage. Its Lithium-ion battery packs travel easily in carry-on luggage.

  • Powerful and reliable internal computing

    • Nvidia GPU module and embedded real-time control CPU for six-flipper gait control and fault recovery and intensive deep learning, computer vision, GPU computing, interest-driven data collection and multimedia processing tasks

  • Collaborative

    • multi-agent coordination

    • robot-diver collaboration and coordination

  • Easy-to-use autopilot mode allows for navigation with only target pose and speed inputs.

  • Quick-replace battery packs allow near- continuous operation. Each battery set provides roughly five hours of vehicle operation.

  • Comprehensive visual sensing 

    • 3 mounted digital cameras suitable for navigation, data acquisition, or stereo reconstruction of the local environment. Included mirror allows simultaneous downward/forward view.

  • Optional waterproof optical tether system

    •  a waterproof fiber optical cable provides standard TCP/IP communication between the vehicle and off-board computers when user control or live data monitoring is needed.

  • Ruggedly constructed 

    • shell made with high-grade aluminum and resistant to minor bumps and scrapes. Appropriate for use in surf zones, coral reefs, brackish water, or reedy environments up to depths of 39 meters (130 feet).

  • Highly maneuverable

    • Equipped with 6 independently controlled flippers, the AQUA2 is capable of performing intricate maneuvers like corkscrews, somersaults, turning in place, and more.

    • Small turning radius allows AQUA2 to maneuver in tight spaces.

  • ROS compliant programming allows developers to quickly build their own application using existing ROS development libraries.

  • Significantly lowers cost and risk for underway, deployed or in-port inspection tasks​

  • Gives policy and force generation choice – highlighted by a personnel shortage crisis​

  • Minimal training burden for operators – mainly operates autonomously​

  • Relatively low unit cost – gives expendability​

  • Diver-safe and ship safe – patented design can operate under hull without radhaz or tag-outs​

  • COs now have the ability to check under their ship in minutes – increase choice​

  • Long duration enables security inspection and sustained autonomous patrol/alert

Speak to us today to discuss your needs might also be met, and surpassed, by Aqua2