Dive Technologies, Metron Partner Up

Boston-based subsea robotics firm Dive Technologies has entered a commercial partnership with Metron, Inc. 

"This partnership will directly support the commercialization of Metron’s Autonomy, Navigation, Command & Control (ANCC) software suite on Dive Technologies’ large displacement autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), the DIVE-LD. Initial sea testing of the DIVE-LD with ANCC software was completed in December 2020," Dive Technologies said.

“The DIVE-LD is pier-launched and designed to stay at sea for up to ten days. The capability of Metron’s advanced autonomy technology is paramount to the AUV’s mission success,” says Bill Lebo, Co-Founder of Dive Technologies. “Metron’s ANCC suite is a critical enabler to the DIVE-LD’s success in long-duration survey missions for our offshore oil and gas and wind customers where unplanned contingencies occur and mission failure is not an option.”

According to a press release issued Tuesday, Metron’s advanced autonomy software system is based on nearly a decade of research and development focused on enabling long-duration underwater missions in complex and dynamic environments. 

"Capabilities such as obstacle avoidance and dynamic mission replanning and re-tasking are enabled through internal simulations that allow the vehicle to play out potential future scenarios and make the best decisions leading to overall mission success," the press release reads.

“We’re excited to bring this partnership to life this spring as we embark on our first commercial survey jobs off the east coast,” continues Lebo.

Van Gurley, CEO of Metron said: "Our systems provide for the autonomous decision-making and dynamic onboard mission replanning that is necessary for reliable, long duration operations where mission failure would be costly and human intervention not always possible.”