The University of Texas at Arlington Research Institute (UTARI), through its Automation and Intelligent Systems (AIS) group, is partnering with Hydronalix on SCARAB – Swarm-capable Autonomous Robotic Aquatic Bridging, a project funded through the U.S. Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Hydronalix focuses on development and manufacturing of advanced Unmanned Surface Vessels (USV’s) and has established itself as a trusted provider of unmanned surface systems through its long-standing support of U.S. military operations.
This initiative brings together Hydronalix’s rugged unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and UTARI AIS’s expertise in autonomous control and swarm coordination to develop modular, rapidly deployable aquatic bridging solutions for contested and austere environments.
Key Technical Objectives:
- Swarm Autonomy & Coordination: Develop distributed algorithms for cooperative USV behaviors, enabling dynamic formation control and adaptive bridging under variable river currents and environmental disturbances.
- Computer Vision for Guidance and Control: Integrate onboard vision systems to support real-time navigation, obstacle detection, and formation alignment, ensuring precise bridging operations in complex environments.
- Simulation & Validation: Use Gazebo and ROS-based high-fidelity simulation environments to model hydrodynamic effects, obstacle avoidance, and load-bearing scenarios before transitioning to field trials.
- Real-World Demonstrations: Conduct semi-autonomous and teleoperated bridging exercises at Patagonia Lake, validating system performance in realistic operational conditions.
This capability enhances mobility and logistics for military operations, providing rapid, resilient bridging solutions where traditional infrastructure is unavailable or compromised. This collaboration sets the foundation for future innovations in autonomous bridging technologies.
