Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Defence
  • /
  • Sonardyne and SeeByte awarded Dstl contract to advance UMS navigation and autonomy

Defence Security

Sonardyne and SeeByte awarded Dstl contract to advance UMS navigation and autonomy

Maritime defence technology company Sonardyne and uncrewed maritime systems (UMS) software experts SeeByte have been awarded UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) funding to enhance and extend the future operational capability of autonomous and remotely operated systems in challenging battlespace domains.

Above: Project Wilton Iver AUVs.
Courtesy SeeByte.

The collaboration is the second phase of the UK’s Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA)’s Autonomy in Challenging Environments competition and builds on the work both organisations undertook in Phase 1.

Sonardyne advanced underwater positioning system will be teamed with SeeByte’s adaptive, communication-aware, robotic behaviour developed for their autonomy system Neptune to allow the UMS to operate in highly complex, variable and communications-limited environments. Automatic target recognition imagery snippets will be transferred acoustically using SeeByte’s novel semantic compression software.

Advertisement
Gulfstream RT

As part of the project, Sonardyne and SeeByte will be using surface and underwater assets from Project Wilton, a recently formed maritime autonomous systems (MAS) team based out of HM Naval Base Clyde. The collaboration will culminate in a series of in-water demonstrations at Project Wilton facilities in the UK.

Sonardyne will install a Mini-Ranger 2 underwater positioning system onboard Project Wilton’s ARCIMS uncrewed surface vessel (USV) and AvTrak 6 Nano telemetry and tracking transceivers to the team’s Iver 3 autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), which will be managed by SeeByte’s autonomous networked acoustic communications system.

In addition, Sonardyne’s SPRINT-Nav instrument will also be integrated with the ARCIMS USV to provide an independent navigation reference in GNSS-denied environments.

Teamed with SeeByte’s adaptive, communication-aware, robotic behaviour developed for their autonomy system Neptune, the UMS will be able to operate in highly complex, variable and communications-limited environments. Automatic target recognition imagery snippets will be transferred acoustically using SeeByte’s novel semantic compression software.

This project will enable optimal uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) distribution for improved subsea communications and navigation in a range of challenging environments.

Ioseba Tena, Head of Defence at Sonardyne said, “Collaborative autonomy is part of the maritime defence road map. We need to enable more robots and have fewer operators in the underwater battlespace. Working alongside leaders in autonomy development like SeeByte, to make that vision a reality, as part of the Autonomy in Challenging Environments competition, is a significant step towards that goal.”

Andrea Munafo, Technical Program Manager at SeeByte said, “UMS operate in challenging environments and they need to be robust against faltering communications and navigation. Partnering with Sonardyne makes it possible for our autonomous systems to consider both during real-time execution and hence to improve the effectiveness of future underwater missions.”

DASA’s Autonomy in Challenging Environments competition is funded through the UK Ministry of Defence’s Chief Scientific Adviser’s Research Programme’s Autonomy Incubator project. Awards are made by DASA on behalf of Dstl.

Advertisement
DSEI 2025

The Autonomy Incubator project aims to: Identify and develop underpinning research and technologies to support the development and fielding of unmanned systems across defence. This work can be matured through the wider Dstl Autonomy Programme and other research and development programmes.

Dstl delivers high-impact science and technology for the UK’s defence, security and prosperity. Dstl is an Executive Agency of the MoD with around 4,000 staff working across four sites: Porton Down, near Salisbury, Portsdown West, near Portsmouth, Fort Halstead, near Sevenoaks, and Alverstoke, near Gosport.

 

 

 

Advertisement
PTC PTC
Boeing appoints Stephen Parker as CEO of BDS

Defence Security Space

Boeing appoints Stephen Parker as CEO of BDS

3 July 2025

Boeing today announced Stephen (Steve) Parker as president and chief executive officer of its Defense, Space & Security (BDS) business, effective immediately. Parker has served as interim leader of the Boeing business unit since September 2024.

Lancashire aims at advancing cyber-enabled defence and security

Defence Security Events

Lancashire aims at advancing cyber-enabled defence and security

3 July 2025

Over 200 senior business leaders, investors, policymakers and academics from across the UK gathered this week at the Lancashire Cyber Festival to discuss Lancashire’s opportunity to become a global leader in cyber-enabled defence and security.

Airframe Designs aligns with US NCAMP standards

Aerospace Defence Security

Airframe Designs aligns with US NCAMP standards

3 July 2025

Airframe Designs has aligned its material systems with the US National Centre for Advanced Materials Performance (NCAMP) which works with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and industry partners to support its existing testing processes.

Bernd Kögel to spearhead launch of DSEI Germany

Defence Security Events

Bernd Kögel to spearhead launch of DSEI Germany

3 July 2025

Clarion Events Defence and Security has announced the appointment of Colonel (ret) Bernd Kögel as Managing Director of DSEI Germany, effective 1st October 2025.

Advertisement
Gulfstream RT
Raytheon UK recieves Gold Employee Recognition Scheme award

Defence Events

Raytheon UK recieves Gold Employee Recognition Scheme award

3 July 2025

Raytheon UK has been awarded the Gold Employee Recognition Scheme award by the Ministry of Defence, in recognition of Raytheon UK’s ongoing commitment to the armed forces community and their support for the Armed Forces Covenant.

Industry delivers UK defence dividend

Defence

Industry delivers UK defence dividend

2 July 2025

Research by Oxford Economics has revealed that the UK Government’s ambition to deliver a 'defence dividend' is already taking effect, with the nation’s biggest defence company, BAE Systems, contributing £13.7 billion to national GDP in 2024, accounting for one in every £200 of the country’s economic output.

Advertisement
DSEI 2025