Page 8: of Marine Technology Magazine (April 2020)

Tech Files

Innovative products, technologies and concepts

New Drone Makes a Buzz and a Splash

By Capt. Marc Deglinnocenti

A new type of aerial drone was unveiled and it can do quite a few things once it’s a gyroscope for enhanced stability, two at Underwater Intervention 2020 in New deployed, too. LED lights at 1500 lumens each, magne-

Orleans earlier this year. It is a trifecta of After the Catalina lands on waves up to tometer for compass bearings, and GPS new technologies: it fies through the air 1.52 meters (5 ft.) high, it can deploy its along with a tilting camera. The Cavella like an Unmanned Air System (UAS); it custom made light weight 4.12 kg (9.1 battery life right now is rated at one hour, lands on water; and soon it will be able lbs) ROV, the Cavalla, to a depth of 100.6 but I had a chat with their Co-Founder to propel itself as an Unmanned Surface meters (330 ft.). It is designed to sup- and Director of Research and Design

Vehicle (USV). port other brands of ROVs too, but ROV Aaron Bottke about that. I recommended

But it does even more than that. weight becomes a concern. the installation of shape conforming solar

By design it can send a Remotely Oper- This author recommends the small Sofar panels to increase both the Catalina fight ated Vehicle (ROV) beneath the waves Ocean, Trident ROV which weighs 3.4 time and the Cavalla dive time. Bottke controlled and powered via a tether. This kg (7.5 lbs) if you really need to use an said that they already have a company achievement will drastically reduce the alternative ROV. It’s also small, light, and working on such a solar panel bid. I then time needed to place the new HybridRo- surprisingly aerodynamic. recommended the addition of naviga- botics model Catalina UAS on station. It The ROV Cavalla can support a so- tion lights, and I was told that they are fies at 48.28 kph (30 mph) which is a great nar, a gripper, and various water quality currently being manufactured. I then deal faster than even the larger size USVs, sensors. It has a built-in accelerometer, recommended underwater thrusters on the

HybridRobotics April 2020 8

MTR