Carol Collins
Sea Machines Robotics will continue developing a full-scale, replenishing military vertical takeoff and landing platform under the second phase of a multiyear other transaction agreement with the Department of Defense, Robotics 24/7 reported Thursday.
The $3.1 million contract provides for engineering of an operational kit and delivery of other items to support the platform’s future deployment, according to a company official.
It comes after the DOD’s Defense Innovation Unit tapped Sea Machines in 2020 to supply system kits that feature the SM300 autonomous control systems, barge propulsion, sensing, communications and refueling tools.
The kits are intended to allow the autonomous self-propelled operation of commercial barges to land and replenish VTOL military aircraft.
“The extension of our contract represents the intersection of traditional sectors, such as government, and the capabilities of autonomous technology,” said Philip Bourque, Sea Machine’s head of business development.
The self-propelled and autonomous platform is designed for logistics purposes and allows support vessels and high-value assets to be available for other functions, added Bourque.
