Rolls-Royce Wins $3m Contract to Develop Canadian Unmanned Naval Vehicles

By Caroline Rees / 27 Jun 2012

Smart Sourcing for Unmanned Systems

Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
Follow UST

Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, will lead a project to develop new technologies to support unmanned naval vehicle missions, following an award of $3 million from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).

The development of Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) and Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) is a rapidly expanding part of naval marine technology, and Rolls-Royce has extensive capability in the handling systems that enable these advanced craft to be launched, refuelled and recovered from the sea.

Rolls-Royce will develop automated systems to support the missions carried out by unmanned naval vehicles, including mine-countermeasures, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, coastal security patrols and environmental data collection. Rolls-Royce will design refuelling systems so unmanned craft can remain at sea for longer periods, and handling equipment that can deploy underwater sensors remotely from these advanced craft.

Jay McFadyen, President of Rolls-Royce Naval Marine Inc. said: “Future naval and patrol vessels will increasingly use unmanned vehicles to carry out a variety of missions. We are delighted that ACOA is providing significant support to develop these capabilities in our Canadian facilities which are ideally situated close to many of our industrial, academic and governmental partners.

“This research programme will enable us to develop sophisticated systems with significant market potential, and firmly establish this region of Canada as a centre of excellence for these cutting edge technologies.”

Dennis Duke, Advanced Programs Director for Rolls-Royce Naval Marine Inc. added: “The technologies resulting from this project will fill a technology gap and provide naval operators with the ability to deploy unmanned vehicles to conduct a variety of missions without putting sailors in harm’s way. In addition, the refuelling system will eliminate the requirement to bring the unmanned vehicle back onboard the ship so it can return to its mission with minimal turnaround.”

Rolls-Royce intends to leverage its expertise as a leading supplier of sensor handling and stowage systems for naval vessels to develop similar technology for USVs and UUVs that can be rapidly reconfigured for various missions. This will require more lightweight and compact designs with a high level of automation.

Posted by Caroline Rees Caroline co-founded Unmanned Systems Technology and has been at the forefront of the business ever since. With a Masters Degree in marketing Caroline has her finger on the pulse of all things unmanned and is committed to showcasing the very latest in unmanned technical innovation. Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

High-Energy Density Batteries for Drones & Robotic Vehicles

The SCIO Brick® platform offers industry-leading energy density in a compact and lightweight footprint, and can be scaled to meet high-voltage requirements

Jul 12, 2025
Most Read Articles on UST This Week

Here’s our round-up of the five most read articles on UnmannedSystemsTechnology.com this week

Jul 11, 2025
Vertiq Speed Firmware v0.1.1 Now Available with Bug Fixes

Vertiq has released firmware v0.1.1 to correct a parameter bug affecting telemetry and 3D mode settings on select G1 and G2 modules

Jul 11, 2025
The Role of ROVs in Unmanned Marine Operations

Oceanbotics has answered the most common questions about ROVs, covering how they work, where they're used, and key capabilities

Jul 11, 2025
LiveU File Transfer Speeds Up Drone Data Delivery for Critical Missions

LiveU’s File Transfer enables rapid transmission of large drone data files, reducing delays and supporting faster decision-making in public safety and infrastructure operations.

Jul 11, 2025
Exploring Differences Between M9PLUS & M9 GNSS Antennas

Discover the key upgrades in Maxtena’s new M9PLUS GNSS antenna, including improved performance, signal purity, and multipath mitigation over the original M9

Jul 11, 2025

Featured Content

USAF Uses Inertial Labs Drone Lidar for Tree Obstruction Survey

The US Air Force successfully used Inertial Labs drone Lidar and cloud software to quickly map tree obstructions at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), improving airfield safety

Jul 11, 2025
New UAV to Combine Solar Hydrogen & Battery Power for Extended Flight

XSun and H3 Dynamics are developing the first UAV powered by solar, hydrogen, and batteries, aiming to deliver zero-emission, long-endurance unmanned flight

Jul 07, 2025
Enhancing Mangrove Restoration Through 3D Printed Drone Design

Explore how Inverto Earth, in collaboration with HP Additive, is using sustainable 3D printing and drone technology to drive large-scale mangrove restoration and protect vulnerable coastal ecosystems

Jul 03, 2025
Advancing Unmanned Systems Through Strategic Collaboration UST works with major OEMs to foster collaboration and increase engagement with SMEs, to accelerate innovation and drive unmanned systems capabilities forward.