Who would’ve thought that Boeing could engineer things for underwater purposes as well? Ironically, enough they have been creating marine technology since the 1960s! And now the company is back with their latest development; the Echo Voyager.
Boeing’s Advanced Technology Program (BATP) has come up with a fully autonomous underwater vehicle that can last below sea level for months without any human presence! The Voyager; unlike its two predecessors-The Echo Seeker and The Echo Ranger- measures 51 ft. long and comes with a hybrid rechargeable power system that gives it such a long battery life; whereas, the Echo seeker and Echo Ranger-although autonomous-cannot even last this long in water for 1/50th of the time despite being half in size. The Voyager’s remarkable ability to stay underwater for extended durations allows it to collect information for various scientific and military purposes. Its high onboard space increases the chances of achieving these missions as well.
Image: Boeing
While normal methods of seeking information involves going out with a surface ship and lowering a probe in the water which is then taken out using a machine operated tow; the voyager will be able to go under water and come out with information all by itself. This means that it will be providing all the information in real time and decreasing the time gap that normal machinery used to provide. Therefore, it would be saving a lot of money from machinery cost and maintenance.
Image: Boeing
The Boeing team aims to make their Voyager a multi-purpose device that could be used for a wide range of customers-regardless of whether it’s used commercially or by the military-.
I don’t know about anyone else but I certainly hope to see the voyager break the barriers of technological advancements and help creating a sustainable environment for all marine life!