R-ONE ROBOT Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV)
Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (MES) and the University of Tokyo have jointly completed the first prototype of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) called R-ONE ROBOT which is designed for exploring wide areas of the sea floor as an untethered and self-propelled type.
Use of a diesel-electric drive for propulsion is the most outstanding feature of the robot.
Features
1. The R-ONE ROBOT is the world's first autonomous underwater vehicle equipped with a closed cycle diesel engine (CCDE) system.
2. It can measure underwater environmental factors and survey the ocean bed for 24 continuous hours.
3. It is capable of autonomous navigation with its inertial navigation system without relying on instructions from a mother ship.
4. A large payload space is provided to accommodate various instruments for measuring oceanic environment.
5. It can be used repeatedly only if fuel, liquefied oxygen and carbon dioxide absorbent are supplied, which is expected to reduce the running and construction costs.
