Solus-LR Successfully Completes First Sea Trials

Cellula Robotics has successfully completed the initial builder’s sea trials for the Solus-LR Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV).

Solus-LR is a fuel cell powered long range AUV, capable of 2000km submerged missions; it is currently being built for Defence Research Development Canada under the All Domain Situational Awareness Science and Technology Program.

This first set of sea trials focused on validating basic autonomous behavior including surface and submerged missions in Port Moody off Burrard Inlet, supported by the Cellula Ranger survey vessel.

Over the next month, a suction anchor and variable buoyancy engine module will be added to Solus-LR and a second set of builder’s sea trials will be completed in February.  The suction anchor enables Solus-LR to hold station in a low power, quiet mode for extended duration missions.

The final set of builder’s trials are scheduled for April 2020 and will see the fuel cell power module integrated to compete a number of long endurance missions.

The project will conclude in the summer of 2020 with a 2000km mission in the Indian Arm.  This mission will see Solus-LR completing 10km laps between navigation and communications buoys, providing regular updates to a remote mission control center via under water communications.

Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) is the national leader in defence and security science and technology. DRDC provides the Department of National Defence, the Canadian Armed Forces and other government departments as well as the public safety and national security communities, the knowledge and technological advantage needed to defend and protect Canada’s interests at home and abroad. For more information, please visit DRDC’s website; read their press release here.

All Domain Situational Awareness (ADSA) S&T Program: Through an investment of up to $133 million over five years, through to 2020, in the ADSA S&T Program, DND is supporting a variety of innovative research and analysis projects, the outcomes of which are expected to contribute to the development of options for enhanced domain awareness of air, maritime surface and sub-surface approaches to Canada, in particular those in the Arctic. This research and analysis will be delivered through collaboration with other government departments, academia, industry and allies. Surveillance solutions explored and potentially selected will strengthen the Government of Canada’s ability to exercise sovereignty in the North, and will provide a greater whole-of-government awareness of safety and security issues, as well as transportation and commercial activity in Canada’s Arctic.

Cellula Staff Receives Individual Safety Champion Award

Thomas Deaton, Junior Electrical Engineer at Cellula, has received the Individual Safety Champion award in the “Heavy Equipment, Machinery, or Parts Manufacture or Installation” category by the BC CSSE/NAOSH. The award was presented at the BC CSSE/NAOSH Week Safety Forum and Awards Dinner on November 28th in Burnaby, BC.

While on the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC), Thomas has consistently shown leadership and initiative, which has been instrumental to the continuous improvement of our Health and Safety Program. As a certified ISO 45001:2018 internal auditor, he will be supporting Cellula's efforts to self-certify in 2020.

Cellula Awarded Contract for CRD100 Large Diameter Drilling Upgrade

Cellula Robotics has been awarded a contract with the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) through Fukada Salvage and Marine Co Ltd, for the design and delivery of a large diameter drilling upgrade to the Boring Machine System (based on Cellula’s CRD100 Seafloor Drill) delivered in 2016.  This project will enable a 200mm diameter bore hole to be drilled to at least 20 meters below mudline.

All equipment will be supplied in 2019 and integrated for a demonstration mission in February 2020.

Successful Completion of IDEaS Project: Deployable Battery Station for UUV Mission Extension

Cellula Robotics Ltd. has successfully completed the “Deployable Battery Station for UUV Mission Extension” project under the IDEaS program challenge of Persistent Maritime Surveillance. The project demonstrated that the latest generation of AGM batteries can be charged and discharged in oil and under pressure, providing a low cost and safe method of storing significant amounts of energy subsea.

This deployable battery station is an important enabling technology for reducing the risks to personnel conducting maritime monitoring operations along Canada’s diverse coastline. Applications range from UUV recharging to powering scientific observation and surveillance equipment long-term.

STEMM-CCS CO2 Injection Skid Successfully Deployed

Cellula Robotics Ltd. is pleased to announce the deployment of the CO2 Injection Skid for the National Oceanography Centre (NOC)’s STEMM-CCS program in the North Sea Goldeneye field. Cellula team members provided offshore support during the operation.  During the deployment, a 7m long curved pipe was successfully inserted into the seabed. Click here for further updates on the deployment.

The project leveraged Cellula’s experience with seafloor geotechnical drills and remotely operated subsea equipment to provide a bespoke solution to NOC. Cellula has a track record of rapidly developing complex hydraulic subsea robotic systems that have all been completed under the control and oversight of our ISO 9001:2015 certificated Quality Management System.

STEMM-CCS is an ambitious multi-disciplinary project that will deliver new approaches, methodologies and tools for the safe operation of offshore carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) sites. CCS is a powerful mitigation strategy for addressing the increasing levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The storage of CO2 in underground reservoirs, for example in depleted oil and gas fields or aquifers, is a demonstrated technology on land and - to a more limited extent - in marine systems. STEMM-CCS will develop approaches to help ensure we select appropriate marine storage sites and can monitor them effectively, thus further increasing confidence in CCS as a viable option for reducing atmospheric CO2. For more information, please visit the programme website.

Successful Completion of IDEaS Project: Collaboration of Multi-domain Marine Robots

Cellula Robotics Ltd. (Cellula) has successfully completed a Collaboration of Robotic Systems challenge under the IDEaS program with the Integrated Systems Laboratory at the University of Dalhousie.

The multi-domain marine robots were mobilized in March 2019 to test and tune the collaborative mission in the Aquatron pool facility in Halifax. This included Cellula’s Imotus hovering UUV and a surface and aerial drone from Dalhousie University. Successful imagery of different test targets from above and below the water surface were obtained and merged through post-processing. These tests were a progression from the completion of the first milestone in December, where simulations of the mission were run for a team of robots.

This multi-domain marine robot collaboration is an important enabling technology for improving safety in maritime interdiction operation capabilities within Canada. With the collaborative approach, above and below water imagery for items of interest can be autonomously gathered and relayed to a control station over the horizon.

Cellula Awarded Contract for CRD100 HD Camera Upgrade

Cellula has been awarded a contract from Fukada Salvage & Marine Works Co., Ltd. to design and build a High Definition (HD) Camera Upgrade for the CRD100 Seafloor Drill delivered in 2014, known as Unicorn-1. The upgrade includes a new HD camera, pan/tilt unit, multiple lights, a control canister and a deployable camera mount. The HD camera upgrade will provide improved imaging for landing and borehole monitoring during drilling.

The upgrade package will be delivered in August 2019 and installed on Unicorn-1 by Cellula engineers in Japan ahead of a multi-month drilling campaign.

Factory Testing Completed for STEMM-CCS CO2 Injection Skid

Cellula Robotics Ltd. has successfully completed factory acceptance testing for the CO2 Injection Skid for the National Oceanography Centre (NOC)’s STEMM-CCS program.

The skid is designed to install and leave a 7m long curved pipe in the seafloor via a diffuser to enable the controlled release of CO2. Click here for an animation of the Skid’s function. It will be used to test the effectiveness of technologies and techniques by STEMM-CCS partners for the detection and quantification of CO2. In May 2019, Cellula will be providing offshore support in the North Sea during the deployment process as part of the STEMM-CCS project.

The project leverages Cellula’s experience with seafloor geotechnical drills and remotely operated subsea equipment to provide a bespoke solution to NOC. Cellula has a track record of rapidly developing complex hydraulic subsea robotic systems that have all been completed under the control and oversight of our ISO 9001:2015 certificated Quality Management System (QMS).

STEMM-CCS is an ambitious multi-disciplinary project that will deliver new approaches, methodologies and tools for the safe operation of offshore carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) sites. CCS is a powerful mitigation strategy for addressing the increasing levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The storage of CO2 in underground reservoirs, for example in depleted oil and gas fields or aquifers, is a demonstrated technology on land and - to a more limited extent - in marine systems. STEMM-CCS will develop approaches to help ensure we select appropriate marine storage sites and can monitor them effectively, thus further increasing confidence in CCS as a viable option for reducing atmospheric CO2. For more information, please visit the programme website.