UK firms to develop autonomous geotechnical survey vehicle

UK marine technology company Marine-i and engineering and survey specialist Feritech Global are set to collaborate on the world’s first autonomous subsea vehicle specially designed for geotechnical survey work.

The partners will conduct a structured development program to define the industry standards that the new vehicle must meet, specify the tool requirements, and create a design solution. This is expected to result in the construction of a pre-commercialisation prototype for sea trials.

Feritech Managing Director Rob Ferris said the vessel would need need to be large in size to accommodate equipment for taking core samples of the seabed and for carrying out activities such as cone penetration testing and heat flow testing.