DriX USV Delivered to UNH CCOM

The University of New Hampshire’s Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping (UNH CCOM), as a member of the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI), funded by NOAA Ocean Exploration, took delivery of an iXblue DriX Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) and its Universal Deployment System. 

The autonomous solution will help expand the footprint and efficiency of the OECI’s ocean exploration operations. Delivered in July to UNH CCOM, DriX and its novel Universal Deployment System have completed sea acceptance trials and extensive personnel training during the summer of 2021 as well as integration and a first shakedown cruise onboard Ocean Exploration Trust’s E/V Nautilus in March 2022.

“We are delighted to embark on this exciting endeavor, working collaboratively with our partners to develop and enhance autonomous technologies that will expand the limits of our capabilities and bring new efficiencies to our efforts to explore and characterize the vast unknown areas of our oceans,” said UNH CCOM Director Larry Mayer.

“NOAA Ocean Exploration is pleased to see the operations of this new DriX technology successfully integrated with Exploration Vehicle Nautilus,” said NOAA Ocean Exploration Director Jeremy Weirich. “Being able to operate DriX over the horizon and away from a ship will increase the rate at which we can explore the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in support of the National Strategy for Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization.”

DriX will support NOAA Ocean Exploration’s mission by providing mapping and characterization capabilities and supporting other autonomous vehicles that are independent of the activities of the mother ship, greatly expanding the efficiency and effectiveness of ocean exploration operations. The research being conducted with DriX will serve to inform NOAA on the potential use of autonomous systems in support of the broad NOAA mission.