Liquid Robotics is an American marine robotics corporation that designs, manufactures and sells the Wave Glider, a wave and solar powered unmanned surface vehicle (USV). The Wave Glider harvests energy from ocean waves for propulsion. With this energy source, Wave Gliders can spend many months at a time at sea, collecting and transmitting ocean data.
The vehicles host sensor payloads such as: atmospheric and oceanographic sensors applicable to ocean and climate science, seismic sensors for earthquake and tsunami detection, and video cameras and acoustic sensors for security and marine environment protection purposes.
Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, the company was founded in 2007. In December 2016, the company was acquired by The Boeing Company and is a wholly owned subsidiary, part of Boeing’s Defense, Space and Security organization.
Wave Glider
Architecture
The Wave Glider is composed of two parts: the ‘’float’’, roughly the size and shape of a large surfboard, travels on the surface of the ocean; the ‘’sub’’ or wing rack hangs below on an umbilical tether 13–26 feet (4–8 meters) long and is equipped with a rudder for steering and a thruster for additional thrust during extreme conditions (doldrums or high currents). The Wave Glider leverages the difference in motion between the ocean surface and the calmer water below to create forward propulsion. No fuel is required for operation which enables it to stay at sea for long durations.
Next Generation Wave Glider
On September 7, 2017, Liquid Robotics announced the Next Generation Wave Glider with advancements to the platform’s operational range, and performance for missions in high sea states (sea state 6 and greater) and high latitudes. Changes include advancements for expanded sensor payloads and increased energy and storage capacity required for long duration maritime surveillance, environmental monitoring and observation missions.
Solar panels recharge batteries which supply the power for the onboard sensor payloads, communications, computing, and enables a thruster propulsion system that provides additional navigational thrust for challenging ocean conditions (doldrums through high seas). The vehicle can be programmed for autonomous operation, or it can be piloted remotely. Communication is provided via satellite, BGAN, cellular or Wi-Fi links for piloting and data transmission.
Software
The Wave Glider software is built on open standards and composed of two parts: Regulus, the on-board operating environment built on Linux and Java and used for on-board command and control of all Wave Glider functions including sensors. WGMS is a web-based console for mission management that supports mission planning, piloting and data management.
Wave Glider markets and missions
Wave Gliders are used for defense, maritime surveillance, commercial, oil and gas, and science and research applications. Examples include:
Commercial/Oil and Gas – atmospheric, seismic, and environmental monitoring
Defense - Anti-submarine warfare and Intelligence, Surveillance and Recognizance
Maritime Surveillance – surface vessel detection for coastal and border security
Scientific research – weather monitoring, climate change, deep-sea seismic detection, ocean acidification, environmental monitoring, bio-geophysical research and fish/ecosystems monitoring
Since 2007, Wave Gliders have been deployed in many areas of the global ocean, from the Arctic to the Southern Ocean. They've been used to track great white sharks by Dr. Barbara Block of Hopkins Marine Station, patrol marine protected areas (MPAs) for the United Kingdom’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office to protect against illegal fishing and assessed the health of the Great Barrier Reef and ecosystems. Additionally, they’ve collected and transmitted data through extreme storms and detected a live diesel submarine during the Unmanned Warrior exercise conducted in October of 2016.
Guinness World Record
In 2013 Liquid Robotics was awarded the Guinness World Record for the "longest journey by an autonomous, unmanned surface vehicle on the planet". The Wave Glider, named Benjamin Franklin, travelled farther than any other unmanned autonomous surface vehicle – over 7939 nautical miles (14,703 km) on an autonomous journey of just over one-year. The Wave Glider’s route traveled across the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco, CA to Bundaberg, Queensland Australia arriving on 14 February 2013.
