Bluefin-21
Ocean Shield ready to deploy Bluefin-21 owned by Phoenix International during the search for MH 370, 14 April 2014 | |
Manufacturer | Bluefin Robotics |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Type | Autonomous underwater vehicle |
Purpose | Deep-sea missions |
Website | http://www.bluefinrobotics.com/products/bluefin-21/ |
The Bluefin-21 is an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) developed by Bluefin Robotics for defence, commercial or scientific use. It found its most famous use in April 2014 in the search for the wreckage of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
Design
The Bluefin-21 is torpedo shaped and has interchangeable payload and battery components. This allows for the rapid deployment of the robot in time-bound missions.[1] It has a modular design that can be adapted to carry a variety of sensors and payloads at one time, making it suitable for diverse deep-sea missions including
Bluefin-21 is powered by nine lithium-polymer batteries, each rated at 1.5 kilowatt-hours (5.4 MJ). This allows the robot to reach a top speed of 4.5 kn (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph) and an endurance of 25 hours at 3 knots.[1]
The typical payload of the Bluefin-21 consists of an EdgeTech 2200-M
Notable uses
Artemis, a Bluefin-21 owned by Phoenix International,
Specifications
The specifications of the Bluefin-21 are:[1][2][9]
- Length: 4.93 m (16.2 ft)
- Diameter: 533 mm (21.0 in)
- Weight (dry): 750 kilograms (1,650 lb) (buoyancy weight 7.3 kilograms (16 lb)
- Maximum speed: 4.5 kn (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph)
- Endurance: 25 hours at 3 knots
- Depth rating: 4,500 m (14,800 ft)
- Energy capacity: 9 × lithium polymer batteries each rated at 1.5 kWh (5.4 MJ)
- Total energy capacity: 13.5 kWh (49 MJ)
See also
- Knifefish (robot), another autonomous underwater vehicle built by Bluefin Robotics
References
- ^ a b "Bluefin-21". Bluefin Robotics Corporation. Archived from the original on 13 January 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
- ^ Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved Apr 24, 2014.
- ^ Fickling, David (11 September 2014). "MH370 Deep-Sea Hunt Resumes With Boat Heading to Crash Zone". Bloomberg Business. Retrieved Feb 22, 2016.
- ^ Love, Dyan (3 April 2014). "Meet Bluefin-21, The Robot That's Searching For The Missing Malaysian Airlines Plane". Business Insider (India). Retrieved Apr 19, 2014.
- ^ Chow, Denise (April 17, 2014). "Flight 370: Oil in Indian Ocean Not from Missing Jetliner". Livescience.
- ^ Pearlman, Jonathan (18 April 2014). "Malaysia Airlines MH370: Bluefin-21 submarine reprogrammed to reach record depth". Sydney. The Telegraph. Retrieved Apr 19, 2014.
- ^ As Technology Matures, New Roles Emerge for Underwater Drones Archived 2015-07-14 at the Wayback Machine - Nationaldefensemagazine.org, September 2014
- ^ Tate, Karl (18 April 2014). "How the Bluefin-21 Searches For Flight 370 Wreckage on the Ocean Floor". Live Science.
External links
- Bluefin Robotics website Archived 2015-01-13 at the Wayback Machine