The Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering, part of the USC, has presented a new underwater cybernetic system. It consists of a tandem of the unmanned underwater station "Octavius" and several underwater robots of the "Argus-I" or "Argus-D" type.
"Argus-I" is used for the development of underwater deposits and the protection of infrastructure. The 3.2-ton robot performs laser scanning, photography, and video recording of the pipeline surface, recording and detecting possible leaks at depths of up to 6,000 meters. It has small dimensions: 5.9 meters in length and 1 meter in diameter. The robot can stay underwater for up to 24 hours and reach speeds of up to 8 knots.
"Argus-D" is designed to deliver and install bottom instruments at depth, such as seismic stations that monitor the environment or conduct seismic exploration for oil and gas. It was first shown in 2024 at the Army-2024 military-technical forum. The robot weighs 5.5 tons and can descend to a slightly shallower depth than "Argus-I": only 3,000 meters. Its dimensions are slightly larger: 8.9 meters in length and 1 meter in diameter. Underwater, "Argus-D" can stay for up to 20 hours, reaching speeds of up to 6 knots.
The "Argus" family is serviced by the unmanned underwater station "Octavius", which measures 9.5 x 9.1 x 3.7 meters. It is located at a depth of up to 1,000 meters and weighs 200 tons.
The station replenishes the robot's battery charge when it reaches 15 percent. When connected to "Octavius", it collects technical information from the robots about the condition of the devices and their software data, and gives the command to send them on a new mission.
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