Cellula Robotics Teams on XLUUV Project with Australian Navy

SeaWolfUUV400x275

May 11, 2022

Canada-based Cellula Robotics has announced it is six months into a contract with Trusted Autonomous Systems (TAS) to help develop the next generation of its fuel cell powered, Extra-Large Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV). Funded by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and in collaboration with sovereign subcontractors, the project SeaWolf is set to debut the first 12-meter XLUUV hull in Q4 2022.

The SeaWolf project builds on Cellula’s existing Solus-LR system, and uses the Solus control architecture and software, the company said. Notable features include a mission range of more than 5,000 km, powered by a fuel cell system and two modular 2,500-liter flooded payload bays. With a 12-meter by 1.7-meter hull, SeaWolf can be shipped in a single 40-foot ISO container. Ron Allum has been subcontracted by Cellula to implement a robust thruster and battery system, the company added.

“Cellula is excited to take the DRDC funded Solus-LR project to the next level capability with TAS and RAN,” said Adrian Woodroffe, business development manager at Cellula. “Our fuel cell power system is the key enabler that gives SeaWolf a game-changing submerged range and payload capacity.”

“TAS are excited to see the progress on the SeaWolf project across engineering, manufacturing, regulatory, control, propulsion and other supporting technologies and concepts,” said Jason Scholz, CEO of TAS. “The novel technologies and demonstrated capabilities at Cellula Robotics made them a partner of choice; and plans underway to establish an Australian Cellula entity will bring them closer to the sovereign enterprises in Australia already working on delivering our concept of an underwater loyal-wingman to the Royal Australian Navy.”

While headquarters for Cellula are based in Burnaby, British Columbia, the company said it is in the final stages of establishing an Australian office in Brisbane to progress with the next stage of the project, including Australian-based design and manufacturing. Demonstration missions with Solus-LR and the prototype SeaWolf XLUUV will take place in Q1 2023 in Australia.

For more details on Cellula Robotics, visit its website here.

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