MERLIN - Underwater & surface vehicles are being designed

On the 7^th and 8^th of May, HYSYTECH participated in the 6-month General Assembly of the MERLIN project (EU Horizon Europe), held in Limassol, Cyprus.

During the meeting, project partners shared valuable insights and highlighted the progress achieved during the first six months. The design of the AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) and of the SUV (Subsea Utility Vehicle) is taking shape, with partners also beginning to define key components essential for the missions and data collection, such as cameras, a robotic arm, and the battery package.

HYSYTECH has also initiated discussions on the fuel cell package, which will be used to recharge the SUV's onboard batteries.

The MERLIN project aims to revolutionize offshore infrastructure and marine habitat monitoring by utilizing hydrogen fuel cells and renewable energy to power autonomous Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) and Autonomous Underwater Vessels (AUVs).

These innovations will allow for long-endurance operations without human intervention. Managed via a Mission Remote Control Centre (MRCC), the vessels will feature advanced capabilities for sample collection, sensor handling, and geotagging.

Demonstration activities will focus on marine habitat monitoring, underwater volcano seabed mapping, and port infrastructure inspection.

HYSYTECH will collaborate on integrating power management into the USV system based on fuel cell technologies.