Odyssey IV - helicopter under the sea

Experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, USA) have tested a new submarine called Odyssey IV, which can "fly" underwater like a helicopter in the air.

The latest product in these small submarines is smart and inexpensive, built at the Laboratory of Automatic Underwater Vehicles under MIT's Marine Research Program.

Previous generations of Odyssey submarines could only operate while constantly moving forward, but the Odyssey IV overcame this drawback. It can move at depths of up to 6,000 meters, stopping anywhere in the water and often adjusting itself to the flow of water as well as avoiding obstacles.

According to Dr. Chryssostomos Chryssostomidis (of the Marine Research Grant Program of MIT), the Odyssey IV can fly helicopters in the air to an area in the deep sea and conduct surveys.

Odyssey IV allows applications such as oil rig exploration, observations of oceanic flora and fauna populations and other oceanographic studies. In addition, Odyssey IV has a robotic arm that can unload underwater goods as a large helicopter or even open and close the valve of an oil rig.

Not only gliding, the Odyssey IV can also move fast at speeds up to 2 meters per second. Both the ability to surf quickly and stop on the spot is achieved through the coordination of "fins" and thrusters (similar to the rocket to repel) on either side of the train wall, as well as the nose and tail part of the This ship is 2 meters long.

Last summer, the Odyssey IV submarine first demonstrated its capabilities in the first scientific research mission of Maine Bay's Georges Bank regional survey, which is very important to the marine industry. produce of this region.

After the initial tests, Odyssey IV manufacturers are focused on developing more power and communication storage capabilities so that the vessel can stay underwater longer, "covering" a zone. Larger geological areas and more data sent to the mainland.

The researchers' ultimate goal is to make the Odyssey IV able to stay underwater for about a year, collecting and sending information to the mainland center quickly without going back to the water.