Watch as the Royal Navy’s Maritime Autonomous Systems (MAS) Trials Development Unit demonstrates the General Dynamics Bluefin-9 autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV). The MAS Trial Team is responsible for conducting training and trials on all future autonomous systems for the Royal Navy. During the trials, the two-man portable Bluefin-9 performed well in harsh sea conditions and the data was sharp and clean.
The Bluefin-9 features tightly integrated commercial off-the-shelf sensors that deliver best-in-class imagery and collect bathymetric and environmental data, including data on water currents, temperature, salinity and turbidity. Designed for detailed hydrographic surveys, the Bluefin-9 is outfitted with Sonardyne Solstice Multi-Aperture Sonar (MAS) that provides high-resolution imagery even in littoral waters. The Bluefin-9 is also equipped with Nortek Doppler Velocity Logs (DVLs) that collect information on water currents up to 30 metres.