Blue Nemo
Vessel numberHV000842
Builder
Ocius Technology Ltd
Date2007
DimensionsVessel Dimensions: 2.96 m × 0.74 m (9.71 ft × 2.43 ft)
DescriptionThe Blue Nemo (Latin for ‘no-one’) Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) was developed by Australian solar sailor company Ocius. The USV’s design began in 2007 when Ocius received an enquiry from an interest body in the USA for a platform that could ‘go to sea forever’. Ocius subsequently began the process of developing the design for an uncrewed surface vessel. This involved the building of five scale models for tank and lake testing, culminating in the building of the 10ft prototype Blue Nemo. Each of these models were fixed with a horizontal rudder ‘flipper’ fixed along differing sections of the underside of the model and tested out in a wave tank for speed to reach a set distance. The model with a sole front flipper attached performed the best, and the Blue Nemo was subsequently fitted with one front flipper.This rudder flipper steers, guides and powers the Blue Nemo generating forward thrust from the pitching of the vessel in the waves of the ocean. This is referred to as Hybrid Marine Power (HMP). The rigid opening solar sail (ROS) uses both solar and wind energy to also power the vessel and can be folded flat onto the deck of the USV. In larger swells this solar sail will lower and the rudder passively propels the USV in the desired direction. Blue Nemo is fixed with sensors on the inside of its fiberglass hull and on the aft communications mast allowing for live tracking and controlled remotely. Ocius have stated that:
Nemo is a ‘proof of concept’ prototype. The aim was to:
a. Test combination of solar, wave and wind power generation
b. Test gearing of sail—this is the Mark I for everything they are doing now
c. Test networking capabilities
d. Ensuring the scale model propulsion system works as projected
e. Developed in collaboration with University of Wollongong
The Blue Nemo and subsequent series are part of the larger movement of ocean science technology moving towards safer and sustainable alternatives to explore, monitor and quantify our ocean environments. The Australian Defence Force has been a major interest body in such technology. Similar technological strides include Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) becoming commercially accessible beyond their industrial realm. ROVs include technology like underwater drones that have replaced humans surveying and inspecting underwater infrastructure and environments. The advantages for scientific research and maritime industries allow greater safety for staff, higher output and coverage which can now include environments unsuitable for humans or too costly to work in.
Blue Nemo has now been superseded by more advanced Ocius USV models however it stands as the first Australian example of innovative USV watercraft design. In 2020 the Blue Nemo and its paired test tank models were acquired into the National Maritime Museum Collection.
SignificanceThe Blue Nemo (Latin for ‘no-one’) Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) represents current and leading innovations in ocean science and USV watercraft design. The Blue Nemo uses Rigid Opening Sails (ROS) and Hybrid Marine Power (HMP) - wind, wave and solar - in order to carry out USV operations in areas of oceanography, defence and security, hydrography, and oil and gas surveillance. Operational Blue Nemo's are self-deployable and retrievable, self-propelled, low cost, adaptable to extreme weather, and have an ability to roam widely from months to years.
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