The next-generation Wave Glider — an unmanned surface vehicle that can traverse the surface of the ocean — will be able to collect intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data in rougher waters, for longer periods of time and while carrying more payloads, said a Liquid Robotics executive.
Deliveries of the updated system started in October, said Becky Tanner, vice president of marketing for the company.
“The next-generation platform is built on the existing success of the previous version,” she said during an interview at the Defence and Security Equipment International Conference in London. “We’ve continued to advance the platform even further and we’re finding that our customers more and more need the ability to go anywhere.”
That includes operating in challenging conditions, such as higher latitudes and higher sea states, for extended periods of time, Tanner added.
The system also has improved solar panels that enable 15 percent greater power collection, and a new battery system that provides 40 percent more storage.
The new Wave Glider can carry 30 percent more payload due to improved flotation technology, Tanner said.
Existing customers can purchase an upgrade kit that will convert older versions of the Wave Glider into the new system, she noted. The surface vehicle has been employed and tested by a variety of customers across the globe, including the U.S. Navy.