Robot Manta Ray: the underwater exploration of the future
Immersing us in the mysteries of the ocean, the Manta Ray robot emerges as a hope for underwater exploration.
Exploring the seabed is like venturing into an unknown and mysterious world, full of challenges for mankind. It is such a hostile environment that even in military and scientific terms, it remains an enigma to be solved. But, as always, nature offers us inspiration and now, with the announcement of the Manta Ray robot, it seems we are one step closer to understanding this vast underwater realm.
The Manta Ray robot project is a joint effort led by the U.S. Army's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This initiative seeks to develop innovative technologies to conquer the oceans, and Northrop Grumman is one of the companies that has stepped forward by presenting its first unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) prototype.
It's like when NASA commissions engineering companies to develop spacecraft; here, DARPA has set similar goals. They want the Manta Ray robot to be autonomous and capable of performing a variety of underwater tasks, from mapping to mine detection, all in stealth.
The road to this achievement has been long, with years of development under the supervision of DARPA, an agency known for its innovations in technology and weaponry. Companies such as Boeing and General Atomics have contributed at different project stages, adding their expertise to the collective effort.
The Manta Ray robot has high expectations: improved energy management, increased payload capacity, and efficient propulsion. Northrop Grumman has unveiled a prototype that promises to meet these expectations, including the ability to hibernate to save energy when needed.
In addition, together with Seatrec, they have explored ways to remotely capture energy to keep the robot running during long underwater missions. Although still an idea on paper, it shows commitment to innovation and efficiency.
Manta Ray's modular design makes it versatile and adaptable to different scenarios. Although it still has years of testing and development before its first mission, this project promises advances in ocean exploration and a step toward a future of more advanced marine technology.
References
North Grumman Completes Assembly of Manta Ray uncrewed underwater vehicle | North Grumman Newsroom| Retrieved April 08th , 2024 from: https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-completes-assembly-of-manta-ray-uncrewed-underwater-vehicle
El dron submarino Mantarraya: así es el primer prototipo del espía acuático que prepara EEUU | Omicrono – El Español| Retrieved April 21st, 2024, from: https://www.elespanol.com/omicrono/tecnologia/20240421/dron-submarino-mantarraya-primer-prototipo-espia-acuatico-prepara-eeuu/846915410_0.html
Manta Ray: Mastering the Deep |North Grumman – YouTube| Retrieved September 22nd, 2022, from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsJEwvhvVak&t=39s