Khansaber
Senator (1k+ posts)
The next army of unmanned drones are scurrying beneath the ocean's surface.
Hundreds of small camera-equipped robots developed by a range of companies are sending video and other data to laptop and tablet screens
Unmanned marine vehicles have been around for yearsthe U.S. Navy and the Coast Guard, for example, use them to help detect mines and thwart drug smugglers.Now, a new wave of independent companies are developing cheaper, smaller modelstypically the size of a footballmeant for commercial and recreational use, from inspecting oil rigs and fish farms to helping hunt for sunken treasure.
But as the industry grows, drone-making companies are also running into hurdles. The companies must figure out how to market these technologies for applications beyond traditional uses, compete with bigger defense contractors, and keep costs low enough to appeal beyond deep-pocketed buyers.
"Because of the dangers of doing things underwater you're going to see these robots do more practical things," said Durval Tavares, the chief executive of AquaBotix Technology Corp.
At a recent military trade show in Canada, DeepTrekker's Ms. MacDonald said several military agencies approached her about the ROV. One agency asked if she could put a weapons deployment system on it. The company is working on that request.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100...html?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews
Hundreds of small camera-equipped robots developed by a range of companies are sending video and other data to laptop and tablet screens
Unmanned marine vehicles have been around for yearsthe U.S. Navy and the Coast Guard, for example, use them to help detect mines and thwart drug smugglers.Now, a new wave of independent companies are developing cheaper, smaller modelstypically the size of a footballmeant for commercial and recreational use, from inspecting oil rigs and fish farms to helping hunt for sunken treasure.
But as the industry grows, drone-making companies are also running into hurdles. The companies must figure out how to market these technologies for applications beyond traditional uses, compete with bigger defense contractors, and keep costs low enough to appeal beyond deep-pocketed buyers.
"Because of the dangers of doing things underwater you're going to see these robots do more practical things," said Durval Tavares, the chief executive of AquaBotix Technology Corp.
At a recent military trade show in Canada, DeepTrekker's Ms. MacDonald said several military agencies approached her about the ROV. One agency asked if she could put a weapons deployment system on it. The company is working on that request.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100...html?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews
