MEDUSA is not designed for lethal payloads like Elbit Systems’ LANIUS, but this dual-mode drone, developed by researchers at Imperial College London, can both fly through the air and land on bodies of water to collect samples. There are many practical applications for Multi-Environment Dual robot for Underwater Sample Acquisition (MEDUSA) including monitoring and maintaining offshore infrastructure such as underwater energy pipelines as well as wind turbines.
It can be flown remotely using its multirotors, which means MEDUSA can travel long distances with high payloads, fly over obstacles, carry payloads as well as maneuver through hard-to-reach terrain. After landing on water, the drone deploys a tethered mobile underwater pod that comes equipped with a camera and sensors. The pod can dive as deep as 10-meters (32.8-feet). A drone operator can then adjust the pod’s depth and 3D position in the water using buoyancy control jets. Real-time video and sensor feedback can then be transmitted from the pod for evaluation.
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MEDUSA’s unique ability to reach difficult places and collect aquatic images, samples and metrics will be invaluable for ecology and aquatic research and could support our understanding of local climate in difficult-to-access environments like the Arctic. Our drone considerably simplifies robotic underwater monitoring by performing challenging tasks which would otherwise require boats,” said Professor Mirko Kovac, Principal Investigator on the project.
