Metron Inc., in partnership with Cellula Robotics USA, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Cellula Robotics Ltd. announced today the successful completion of a series of Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUV) demonstrations to showcase the capabilities of the new ANCC+Solus solution for defense and commercial applications. The demonstrations, considered a "Technology Awareness Day", featured two versions of the ANCC+Solus UUV platform executing in-water missions to highlight the fully autonomous, long-duration, hydrogen fuel cell powered capabilities developed by Metron and Cellula. Customers across Canadian, United States, and United Kingdom defense agencies, as well as, representatives from the commercial offshore energy sector attended the event to assess the technological superiority and versatility of the ANCC+Solus solution for defense and commercial operations where extended reach, in-situ mission planning, and multi-payload capabilities deliver a strategic advantage.
The success of this event represents a significant milestone in the Metron-Cellula relationship, who announced their strategic partnership in February of 2024, around the same time Neil Manning was announced as Cellula's new Chief Executive Officer. The strategic partnership was formed as part of each company's commitment to deliver a superior UUV solution to meet current market demands that can scale to large production volumes. Through the relationship, each company has leveraged domain specific expertise; Metron's Resilient Mission Autonomy suite and Cellula's hardware and fuel cell technology to develop groundbreaking advancements in autonomous vehicle technology through the ANCC +Solus solution.
ANCC+Solus is a fully autonomous, long-duration, long-endurance, self-sufficient underwater platform designed for extended missions. Powered by hydrogen fuel cells, it offers endurance and range. Equipped with a diverse array of sensors, including the NORBIT WINGHEAD and additional persistent sensing systems, it can gather critical data in even the most challenging conditions. Its versatile payload capacity allows for customization to meet specific mission requirements, making it ideal for operations in areas with limited or disrupted communication. With its exceptional capabilities, ANCC+Solus sets a new standard for long-duration, persistent surveillance, and multi-effects payload deliveries.
The "Technology Awareness Day," commenced with a morning session that included a tour of Cellula's full scale production, manufacturing, and development facility in Burnaby, Canada. After the tour, attendees experienced a hands-on demonstration of the Cellula's hydrogen fuel cell technology. This interactive experience allowed participants to gain a deeper understanding of the technology's capabilities and its role in enabling autonomous vehicles to operate with maximum efficiency and minimal environmental impact. The morning session also included highlights of Metron's Resilient Mission Autonomy currently in use across defense programs and in offshore energy survey applications. Metron's team reviewed the rapid integration of their full autonomy, in-situ mission planning and replanning, and advanced introspective and extrospective autonomy into the Cellula platforms. NORBIT wrapped up the morning with a comprehensive overview of their advanced sensor systems.
The afternoon demonstrations provided a spectacular showcase of in-water capabilities. Four missions conducted off the coast of Vancouver, Canada, demonstrated the Solus-LR and Solus-XR's versatility and efficiency. Each mission highlighted key features tailored to customer requirements: seamless transit and deployment, real-time mission planning and adaptation, and advanced autonomous networking. The grand finale featured a synchronized swim between the two vehicles, showcasing their ability to collaborate seamlessly in multi-vehicle operations.
By the end of the program, the Technology Awareness Day proved the synergistic benefits of these integrated technologies. Together, Cellula's advanced hydrogen fuel cells, combined with Metron's Resilient Mission Autonomy and NORBIT's advanced sensor systems, create a powerful autonomous vehicle solution that can navigate complex environments and perform critical missions with exceptional reliability.
