SMD, a global supplier of subsea equipment, has announced that it has developed a new work-class ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle), the Quantum EV, with electric drive technology and a modular design. The Quantum EV ROV is intended to be an environmentally responsible solution and is designed around five key principles covering performance, reliability, flexibility, ease of use and compact form factor.
Currently in the prototype stage and undergoing a rigorous testing program, the Quantum EV features a new 25kW electric thrust system, a long-distance DC transmission solution and a locally managed DC power system. Other capabilities include advanced flight processing for improved stability, the ability to fit a battery for tetherless operations, and provisions for integrating AI command technology in the future.
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Mark Collins, SMD’s Director for Remote and Autonomous Technologies, commented on the development process: “We have been listening to what our customers and the industry want, and using our extensive and sometimes painful real-world experience, we’ve developed a new product range which has their needs at its very core. We have really focused on developing a tool that can be relied upon to take operational efficiency to a new level that’s easy to own and use. The technology will support our clients’ ambitions and is suitable for traditional vessel, unmanned vessel and resident applications. One of the novel things about the EV technology is its modular flexibility. We’ve created future-ready, component-based, modular architecture which can be extrapolated for different uses; easily transferred for use in AUVs and USVs.”
Stephen Wilson, SMD’s Innovation Manager, said: “We have been developing electric motors and ROV thrusters for over 20 years. As specialists in high power motor drive technology, our parent company, CRRC TEC, have given us access to high power systems technology that would be otherwise inaccessible to the subsea sector. All of this, combined with financial support from our parent and Innovate UK, has put us in a unique position to bring a world class electric ROV system to the market.”
