New 18-meter craft for the Nauticus robotic navy fleet will be fitted with Smartgyro’s innovative SG80 units for roll reduction in manned and unmanned operations

Golden Arrow Marine is supplying advanced Smartgyro SG80 gyroscopic stabilization units to Cowes boatbuilder Diverse Marine for installation on its new 18-meter Hydronaut vessels for Houston-based Nauticus Robotics.

The modular Smartgyro stabilizers were selected due to the ease of installation and onboard maintenance and will be fitted on the first Hydronauts of a 20-strong robotic navy fleet to maximize comfort and roll reduction during manned and unmanned operations.

The Smartgyro SG80 gyros feature a cutting-edge design, creating the industry’s first gyro units that can be serviced, maintained and assembled directly inside the boat. Suitable for both new builds and refit installations, all SG series models offer superior stabilization due to breakthrough technology within the control electronics, braking system, liquid cooling system and vacuum enclosure.

Smartgyro’s UK Master Dealer Golden Arrow Marine has partnered with Nauticus Robotics, a developer of offshore subsea and surface robots and autonomy software, to construct the initial production run of the Hydronaut for its Nauticus Fleet. Production and delivery of the first two vessels is scheduled for Q1 2023, with the remainder being fulfilled by the end of 2024.

An autonomous UAV deployment daughter craft, Hydronaut’s primary objective is to support the launch, recovery and real-time operations of Aquanaut, its undersea robotic counterpart. Hydronaut ferries Aquanaut to and from the worksite and supports battery recharges as well as the communications link from the local remote operations center for supervised autonomous operations. Nauticus’ Houston-based global remote operations center provides additional technical and operational support.

Initially manned so built to class with flag and MLC compliance, the vessel is fitted with gyro-stabilization and ride control to maximize the operational envelope of the craft. Comprehensive navigation and communications manage the transfer of control and information for both Hydronaut and Aquanaut.

Simon Leppard, Business Development Manager, Golden Arrow Marine said: “We are delighted to work with Diverse Marine on such an exciting project. Effective stabilization is essential for the Hydronaut vessels for comfort and roll reduction. As well as advanced technology, superior performance and efficiency, the Smartgyro solution offers significant additional benefits because of the ease of installation and onboard maintenance, so there is no need to remove the gyro and downtime is reduced.”

The SG80 is suitable for vessels over 60 feet, weighing 980 kg (2160 lb) and measuring 1.08 x 1.11 x 0.87 m (42.4 x 43.7 x 34.3 in).

Stabilization technology company Smartgyro currently offers a full range of gyro stabilizers, consisting of the SG20, SG40, SG60 and SG80 models for boats from 30 ft to over 80 ft, with further units under development.

The outstanding innovation of the stabilizers is the modular mechanical design, ensuring the range is unique to the market as the only gyro units that can be serviced, maintained and assembled directly inside the boat. Time spent on maintenance and vessel downtime is minimized, with new design opportunities for builders and increased potential for installation in vessels with small access spaces.