Underwater robot maker Aquabotix has set up shop at a US Army site to further develop its latest robots — including their potential use with explosives.

US-based, locally-listed Aquabotix (ASX:UUV) last month unveiled SwarmDiver — a smart, small and easily deployable robot which can work alongside dozens of its colleagues, creating a mechanical swarm.

Multiple SwarmDivers can function simultaneously as a single, co-ordinated entity on water, be easily controlled via one operator on the surface, and perform dives on command to collect intelligence.

The new military location — at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in the US State of Virginia — would allow Aquabotix to pursue “contracts involving Aquabotix’s unmanned systems in combination with explosives”, the company said.

“The co-location will allow Aquabotix access to technologies, materials, and armaments that support its goal of advancing the
development of certain SwarmDiver and other unmanned vehicle capabilities,” said Aquabotix’s new Chief Executive Officer, Whitney Million.

Ms Million was appointed CEO amid a management restructure in March.


The Aquabotix SwarmDiver underwater robots at work.

Earlier this month she said the company’s intellectual property, physical assets and human capital were was “not being utilised to their full potential”.

“In the past, the company was spread thin, participating in multiple verticals – defence, oil and gas, aquaculture, marine inspections, and many others… We believe that the shorter-term wins and more sizable end-user demand can be captured in the defence industry.”

March customer receipts fell to $187,584 — down from $227,754 in the previous quarter.

Aquabotix shares (ASX:UUV) over the past year.
Aquabotix shares (ASX:UUV) over the past year.

 

Additional reporting by Business Insider Australia, Australia’s most popular business news website. Follow Business Insider on Facebook or Twitter.