On Thursday 24th July 2025, Peter Back and Phil Vosper welcomed Jason Liu and Arnold Li, from OceanAlpha (www.oceanalpha.com) to the STL Research (www.stlres.co) office in Cowes.
In discussions with their customers, OceanAlpha have identified the fact that there is significant interest in adding autonomous surface vessel (ASV) and remotely operated vessel (ROV) capabilities to their larger unmanned surface vessel (USV) fleet.
The ability of STL Research’s stand-alone Proteus launch and recovery systems (LARS) to be installed on ASV / USV platforms was of particular interest to OceanAlpha, as was the computer vision system, with its capability to automatically track and synchronise movement of the coupling tool with the target.
After reviewing videos of the Proteus LARS taken during tests at the COAST laboratory in Plymouth, Jason and Arnold participated in a demonstration of the Remote Sensing System (RSS), using the motion platform and a full-scale model of a commonly deployed ROV.
Clicking on the image below allows you to view a video of the wave tank testing at the COAST laboratory on our YouTube channel.
During the demonstration, the tracking capabilities were highlighted by moving the model ROV in a variety of directions, with the RSS following the latching attachment perfectly.
The in-built redundancy, with respect to the tracking markers, was also demonstrated, by obscuring increasing numbers of the markers, whilst the system remained stable and capable of tracking the model.
Following the meeting and demonstrations, Jason Liu stated, “It was a pleasure visiting to see STL Research’s Proteus launch and recovery system in simulation actions. we were impressed by its computer vision – guided robotic arm and synchronous motion – compensation, which allows it to catch and recover a free-floating ASV, AUV, or ROV even in challenging sea states, helping to keep operations safe and efficient”.
He continued, “OceanAlpha, as one of the leading USV companies, provide uncrewed survey vessel platforms for offshore energy asset inspection. We are evaluating how Proteus might fit into our USV + ROV / AUV offshore inspection workflow. We will be in touch to explore next steps, once we’ve had a chance to review our clients’ specific requirements.
For more information on STL Research’s Proteus launch and recovery system, or our Neptune Personnel Access System, please visit our websites (www.stlpro.co and www.stlres.co). Alternatively, to discuss requirements or arrange a visit to our Isle of Wight facility, please contact our Business Development Manager, Phil Vosper directly (phil@stlres.co or +44(0)7836 681749).