Responding to an invitation from the Royal Australian Navy, Cellula Robotics Ltd. from Burnaby, Canada has successfully mobilised and operated the long range, hydrogen fuel cell powered AUV, Solus-LR as part of Autonomous Warrior 23 at HMAS Creswell (Jarvis Bay), Australia.  Solus-LR is 8.5 meters in length, displaces 3.7 tonnes and is the first fuel cell powered Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) to operate in Australian waters.

As part of Autonomous Warrior 23, Solus-LR has successfully completed multiple fuel cell powered subsea missions. These missions included rapid environmental assessment over a range of mine like objects and acoustic characterization by static and mobile assets.

Solus-LR was designed and built by Cellula Robotics Ltd. and delivered to Defence Research Development Canada (DRDC), under the All Domain Situational Awareness Program.  Cellula Robotics Ltd., with support from DRDC, continues to develop the Solus-LR platform with the ambition of helping to fulfill Canada’s need for a large-scale, persistent, subsea surveillance capability in the Arctic.