UNDERWATER DRONE TO HARVEST OCEAN ENERGY
Harnessing Ocean Energy As A Power Source Source: DARPA Sustainable Energy The concept of underwater energy harvesting by drones is being developed by the US Defense Department's Advanced Research Agency DARPA. This could not only revolutionize naval propulsion, particularly for drone submarines, by providing them a sustainable energy source. But also, if the drones transport the harvested ocean energy to ships at sea, there would be far less need to return to port to refuel. The time and energy efficiencies would be breakthrough. Manta Ray Project DARPA calls the program the Manta Ray Project. It's goal is to develop unmanned underwater vehicles - drones - that can operate underwater for very long, extended periods of time, all the while harvesting the energy of the ocean as a power source. Four companies have just been selected for the job. Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman and Navtek LLC are working on the drones. And Metron ...