Chinese team sets a world record with a swarm of 116 underwater drones

A Chinese team has set a world record with 116 TH-618 underwater drones operating together, Klix.ba reports, citing the South China Morning Post. Northwestern Polytechnical University developed the vehicles with Xi'an Tianhe Maritime Technologies, and the test ran in a pool 50 metres long and 20 metres wide.

The drones entered the water one by one, then switched to fully autonomous mode, each using real-time visual perception to hold formation as the swarm swam a preset route of more than 500 metres in 34 minutes. Underwater there is no wireless signal for commands and no satellite navigation, which is why coordinated movement by dozens or hundreds of vehicles has been a central problem in the field, the university said.

The TH-618 is 61.5 cm long, 20 cm wide and 28 cm high, weighs 5.14 kg and has a maximum range of 30 km. Tianhe says such swarms could inspect underwater infrastructure such as gas pipelines and map the seabed.

Engadget notes the US government has designated the university as a developer of technology for the Chinese military, and that the partner company is part of defence firm Xi'an Tianhe Defense Technology. A pool test is far from proof such swarms could work in the open sea, but it shows the direction of China's underwater drone development.