DARPA’s Manta Ray Underwater Drone Prototype Passes First Major Test

Remotely operated underwater vehicles

Remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROUVs) primarily replace humans in difficult underwater situations and perform educational or industrial missions. They are manually controlled to perform tasks including surveillance and patrolling. ROUVs cannot operate autonomously. In addition to cameras, actuators and sensors, ROUVs often include a ‘gripper’ or something to hold onto objects. This can disrupt the weight distribution of the vehicle, requiring manual assistance at all times. Sometimes ROUVs require additional assistance due to the importance of the task being performed. The US Navy has developed the Submarine Rescue Diving Recompression System (SRDRS) which can rescue up to 16 people at a time from 2000 feet underwater. Such a large vehicle, whose primary role is to save lives, requires an operator(s).

Autonomous underwater vehicles Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are underwater vehicles that can operate without an operator. They can range in size from just a few kilograms to thousands of kilograms. [citation needed] The first AUV was built in 1957 for the Applied Physics Laboratory at the University of Washington to conduct research in Arctic waters. By the early 2000s, 10 different AUVs had been developed, including screw-propelled AUVs, underwater gliders, and bionic AUVs. Early models used screw propeller thrusters, while more recent models used automatic buoyancy control. The earliest model, the SPURV, weighed 484 kg, went as deep as 3650 m, and could travel for 5.5 hours. One of the most recent models, the Deepglider, weighed 62 kg, could dive to depths of up to 6000 m and travel up to 8500 km.

Manta Ray

In September 2021, researchers at a Chinese university developed a manta ray-shaped UUV for the purpose of collecting information around the Paracel Islands. Some UUVs are designed to mimic the silhouettes of animals to facilitate movement and prevent detection. The Manta Ray design allows the UUV to camouflage with marine life and contributes to the ease with which the vessel can swim in the water.

In May 2024, Northrop Grumman announced an underwater drone called the Manta Ray. The drone, built for DARPA, has been under development since 2020. Developed by Boeing, the Manta Ray, along with the Orca, represents a new class of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), designed to perform long-duration, long-range military missions with as little human supervision as possible. The Manta Ray is also capable of harvesting energy from the ocean.

Oxygen/hydrogen air-independent propulsion

UUVs with combustion engines are oxygen-powered vehicles that require resurfacing. With the development of propulsion units that do not require oxygen or hydrogen, the ability for UUVs to remain underwater for long periods of time has greatly increased.

Lithium and water energy sources

A novel source of power for UUVs could be the free energy reaction of lithium/water as it produces 8530 Wh/kg. This energy would be 5% higher than previously established sources of energy density found in today’s UUVs. The energy source will basically use the water surrounding the UUV and use it to generate energy through chemical reactions that will power the UUV.[citation needed]

A major concern for unmanned underwater vehicles is communication. Communication between the pilot and the unmanned vehicle is important, however, there are several factors that can hinder the connection between the two. One of the main problems is the distortion of underwater transmissions, as water can distort and delay underwater transmissions, which can be a major problem in time-sensitive missions. Communication is typically disrupted because unmanned underwater vehicles use acoustic waves instead of more traditional electromagnetic waves. Acoustic wave transmissions are typically delayed by between 1–2 seconds, as they travel more slowly than other types of waves. Other environmental conditions can also hinder communication, such as reflection, refraction, and signal absorption. These underwater phenomena scatter and degrade the overall signal, causing UUV communication systems to have much higher latency than other communication sources.\

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Northrop Grumman’s Manta Ray UUV Completes Successful Full-Scale Ocean Testing

The Manta Ray prototype uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) built by Northrop Grumman completed full-scale, in-water testing off the coast of Southern California in February and March 2024. The testing demonstrated hydrodynamic performance in the ocean, including submersible operations using all of the vehicle’s propulsion and steering modes: buoyancy, propellers, and control surfaces.

“Our successful, full-scale Manta Ray test validates the vehicle’s readiness to move from modular subsections to real-world operations after being rapidly assembled in the field,” said Dr. Kyle Warner, DARPA program manager for Manta Ray. “The combination of cross-country modular transportation, in-field assembly, and subsequent deployment demonstrates a first-of-its-kind capability for an extra-large UUV.”

Northrop Grumman shipped the Manta Ray prototype from its build site in Maryland to its test site in California for subassembly. The demonstrated ease of shipping and assembly supports the possibility of rapid deployment worldwide without taking up valuable pier space at Navy facilities.

“Shipping the vehicle directly to its intended mission area saves energy spent during vehicle transport,” Warner said. “Once deployed, the vehicle uses efficient, buoyancy-powered gliding to propel itself through the water. The craft is designed with multiple payload bays of varying sizes and types to enable a variety of Navy mission sets.”

Advancing UUV Technology

We developed our unique full-scale demonstration vehicle using several innovative design features that support the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) vision of delivering groundbreaking technology to create strategic surprises. Manta Ray is:

• Payload-capable to support diverse missions
• Autonomous, without the need for on-site human logistics
• Energy-efficient, with the ability to anchor to the seabed and hibernate in a low-power state
• Modular, for easy shipment for worldwide expeditionary deployment and field assembly
• Motorized craft boats on water
• Leader in uncrewed systems

From unmanned aerial vehicles and underwater mine hunting systems to defense readiness targets, Northrop Grumman is a leader in autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

DARPA’s Call for Next-Generation Unmanned Underwater Vehicles

In 2020, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) issued a request for proposals for a new class of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). Their request sought to advance capabilities in energy management, efficiency, power, fuel, and more for long-range and long-duration missions.

Underwater missions can be very challenging, with challenges such as high pressure, low temperatures, spotty communications, and power supply for long missions, especially when operating far from a port. The advanced UUV we needed was larger, more efficient, and autonomous, or capable of operating independently without human supervision.

Northrop Grumman answered the call. Earlier this year, we designed, built, and tested our full-scale UUV, the Manta Ray, which will travel to the depths of the ocean on extended missions.

Northrop Grumman Unveils Manta Ray: Next-Generation Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle

Annapolis, Maryland – April 8, 2024 – (Photo Release) Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has completed assembly of a full-size uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) prototype known as the Manta Ray. A new class of UUV, it is an extra-large glider that will conduct long-duration, long-range, and payload-capable underwater missions without the need for on-site human logistics.

The Manta Ray was built by a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program that aims to advance key technologies to benefit future UUV designs, including energy management techniques, increased payload capacity, low-power propulsion, and more.

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