Unmanned maritime systems: Quantum Systems takes Seavex and Subvex to sea

For the first time, Quantum Systems is adding unmanned maritime systems to its range. The manufacturer thus spans the spectrum from the airspace and land operations down to a water depth of 6,000 metres. Seavex, a surface vehicle, and Subvex, a vehicle for underwater use, are primarily intended to add new capabilities for the persistent surveillance of large sea areas and the protection of critical infrastructure. All systems are networked via a common software architecture.

The two new developments are currently being presented to the public for the first time in Sesimbra, Portugal; at the same time, sea trials are under way as part of the maritime NATO exercise “Repmus”. Until now, the company’s portfolio had focused mainly on unmanned systems in the air and on land – now capabilities on and below the water are being added.

What matters is less each platform on its own than the way they are networked. Seavex and Subvex are fully integrated into the Mosaic UXS software platform (-> More on Mosaic: presentation by Thomas Haber, Director Program & Product, at “DroneVation” in Vienna) and can therefore be operated together with the manufacturer’s existing air and land systems. The open architecture is also intended to accommodate third-party sensors and platforms.

“First we concentrated on the air, then came the land domain – now we are expanding our portfolio to the sea. The decisive progress, however, lies not in adding another domain, but in connecting them with one another”— Florian Seibel, Co-CEO and founder of Quantum Systems

“With Seavex and Subvex, we are integrating maritime systems into Mosaic UXS for the first time, thereby connecting unmanned systems in the air, on land, and on and below the water in a common architecture.”— Florian Seibel, Co-CEO and founder of Quantum Systems

Seavex stays at sea for up to two months

Seavex is an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) whose development was geared primarily towards long-endurance reconnaissance and surveillance missions. Deployments of up to two months at sea are planned. Its equipment includes a radar for surveillance and counter-drone tasks as well as electro-optical sensors; artificial intelligence processes the collected data directly on board.

Seavex does not only gather information itself – the vehicle is also intended as a floating base, a mothership of sorts, for additional unmanned platforms. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) take off from it and land on it again, while underwater vehicles dock, recharge their batteries and transfer mission data.

Seavex can thus be used, for example, to monitor extensive sea areas, to secure ports and critical infrastructure, and for counter-drone defence (counter-UAS).

Subvex dives down to 6,000 metres

With Subvex, the second newcomer, reconnaissance moves into the depths. The unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) is AI-supported and designed for autonomous intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions at depths of up to 6,000 metres.

Its own computing power, sonar and acoustic sensors allow Subvex to operate autonomously under way for up to four days. Several units can also be deployed in a distributed manner. If longer surveillance tasks are required, the UUV can be placed on the seabed, where, according to Quantum Systems, it can carry out passive surveillance for several weeks.

The company sees possible tasks in protecting subsea cables on the seabed and other critical infrastructure in the maritime domain, in border surveillance, and in monitoring large sea areas and submarine activity.

Unmanned maritime systems in a common operational picture

The approach behind Seavex and Subvex therefore goes beyond what USVs and UUVs are traditionally used for. Mosaic UXS is intended to bundle what drones, ground vehicles, surface and underwater systems detect and condense it into a common operational picture.

“Maritime operations face a fundamental challenge: the areas to be monitored are huge, while personnel and available systems are limited”— Dirk Zademack, Managing Director Maritime at Quantum Systems

“In the air and on land, we have already built an ecosystem in which unmanned systems operate together rather than in isolation. We are now transferring this principle to the maritime domain with Seavex and Subvex. In this way, we create a persistent presence on and below the water and merge the information gained into a common operational picture.”— Dirk Zademack, Managing Director Maritime at Quantum Systems

At the same time, the move to sea accelerates Quantum Systems’ development away from being a pure drone manufacturer towards a provider of autonomous systems for all domains. Software, AI and system integration are intended to connect the different platforms ever more closely.