The Switzerland-based Hydromea has unveiled the prototype of what is said to be the world’s first wireless underwater drone.
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EXRAY, unveiled in a pool demo, can fit into a backpack, can be remotely controlled, and sends HD video back in real-time without any physical connection to the pilot, Hydromea said.
It is expected to deliver benefits in a number of inspection scenarios in confined spaces, eliminating the risks of dangerous inspections performed by humans today.
According to Igor Martin, Hydromea CEO and co-founder, the underwater drone works without a cable, which eliminates any risks of getting stuck in complex spaces, usually associated with cabled vehicles.
“Since radio signals do not travel under water, Hydromea had to develop a new technology to control the drone: a wireless optical system which uses light to transmit high-bandwidth data,” said Felix Schill , co-founder and CTO of Hydromea.
“With our unique technology that is robust and miniaturized, we can finally cut the cord and unleash the freedom of portable robotics underwater.”