Japan Unveils Device Combining Underwater Drone and Multicopter

Although underwater drones can handle a wide range of tasks, getting them to the dive site is sometimes still difficult. A new system aims to help by using an aerial drone to transport and deploy an underwater drone.

The hybrid setup, known as the Sea-Air Integrated Drone, was recently demonstrated at the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise amusement park in Yokohama. It was created through a partnership between Japanese telecom operator KDDI, drone maker Prodrone, and underwater robotics company Qysea.

The revolutionary drone is designed to modernize offshore operations thanks to its intelligent capabilities, high efficiency, and minimal need for manpower.

The system uses one of Prodrone's all-weather multicopters and one of Qysea's Fifish Pro V6 Plus underwater drones. The latter can also be described as a small ROV (remotely operated vehicle), and it sits in a quick-release cage on the underside of the copter.

A human operator on shore uses long-range mobile communications to first deliver the system to its destination in open water, guided by both GPS and real-time video from the multicopter's onboard cameras. The user then lands the copter on the water, where it rests on attached floats (one on each of its six arms).

Fifish is then released from the cage but remains attached to the multicopter by a long electrical/communication cable. It begins diving under the operator's remote control, who watches the video feed from its camera (transmitted through the copter). 

Once the diving task is complete, an electric winch on the multicopter is used to pull the Fifish back into the cage, so both drones can return to shore.

Traditional, widely used underwater inspection methods often involve difficulties related to time, energy, money, and human risk, as workers must use boats to reach offshore platforms and make multiple dives for their inspections.

The new device represents a breakthrough in remote offshore operations. Without having to leave their workstation on shore, operators can carry out inspections with real-time visual feedback and work in the underwater environment using various tools for sampling, measurement, and manipulation, as well as broadcast operations in real time.

Possible applications of the system include inspection, maintenance, and repair of aquaculture facilities, offshore wind turbines, or other marine structures. It can also be used in scientific research, hull inspections, or search and rescue missions.

The Sea-Air Integrated Drone has shown that it will be widely used across various marine industries. In wind energy, the drone can be used to carry out complex inspections and maintenance of frames and foundations, significantly reducing risks to people. 

"In aquaculture, the drone can fly out to monitor livestock and crops, and carry out maintenance and repair work using a variety of additional ROV tools. Other marine applications include search and recovery operations, hull inspections, and various other underwater infrastructure," Qysea said. 

The project was first initiated by KDDI six years ago, when the company sought to combine advanced mobile networks with drone technology that would enable long-distance flights. 

More detailed information about the Sea-Air Integrated Drone is expected to be published later in 2022. The Sea-Air drone will undoubtedly pave an important path toward a sustainable ocean economy and the global goal of carbon neutrality.

The Fifish Pro V6 Plus is a compact expert in advanced underwater solutions. With a diving depth of 150 meters, an intelligent interface for adding various extra tools, and a brand-new integration of the Q-motor stabilization system, small underwater operations can be fully optimized.

The Fifish Pro V6 Plus offers six degrees of freedom, allowing the operator to adopt any posture and movement angle. Thanks to intelligent distance and altitude locking systems, the ROV adapts to unpredictable conditions to move with greater stability.

In China's Shandong province, Qysea recently teamed up with local technology scientists to introduce the country's first unmanned drone and vessel for mariculture. Using remote communication technology, aquaculture farmers and scientists can monitor livestock and harvests from a safe location on shore without going out to the farms.

Through the technological cooperation of ocean robotics and artificial intelligence, the unmanned marine vehicle provides seamless control over the surface and water, ultra-clear real-time feedback, and the ability for remote autonomous operation. With lower costs, labor, and energy requirements, compact unmanned ROVs represent a major breakthrough in efficiency and sustainability compared with traditional mariculture methods.