Cellula Robotics Ltd. and Defence Research and Development Canada have marked continued progress in the development of long-endurance autonomous underwater vehicle capability following several years of collaboration.
This ongoing technical maturity was recently demonstrated during a fully submerged endurance run of the Envoy autonomous underwater vehicle. Powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, the vehicle remained on a representative underwater mission profile for 385 hours and covered 2,023 kilometers while submerged, exceeding the platform’s published performance specifications.
Rather than a simple straight-line endurance run, the demonstration included more than 4,000 turns and maneuvers. Because each maneuver increased energy demand compared with steady, linear travel, the mission provided a meaningful indication of usable underwater endurance under practical subsea operating conditions. The underlying hydrogen fuel cell technology was developed in conjunction with Infinity Fuel Cell and Hydrogen, Inc.
“Capability of this kind is advanced through sustained collaboration, rigorous testing, and a shared commitment to what is operationally useful,” said Eric Jackson, President & Founder of Cellula Robotics. “We are very pleased to announce such progress, reflected in a representative mission demonstration that exceeded a key performance objective, and we are very appreciative of the important role DRDC/RDDC has played in helping mature this capability over time.”
Defence Research and Development Canada has maintained a long-term interest in accelerating the development of long-endurance autonomous underwater vehicles, supporting the initiative through a development contract that helped mature the capability. For operators, these improvements in endurance directly affect how long a vehicle can remain productive below the surface, how frequently intervention is required, and how effectively offshore time can be utilized across defence, survey, scientific, and other mission-driven applications.
