Getting a drone off a ship is easy. Getting it back is another matter. Although drones are increasingly used for offshore inspection, surveillance and search-and-rescue missions, recovering them safely on a vessel that's constantly moving with the sea has remained a major technical obstacle.
UK startup WaiV Robotics recently emerged from stealth with an autonomous recovery system designed to solve that problem, allowing drones to land safely on moving vessels without anyone on deck.
I spoke with Johnny Carni, founder and CEO of WaiV Robotics, about the technology behind the system and the commercial opportunities it could unlock.
Why landing at sea so difficult
Commercial drones are designed to land slowly and gently on stationary ground. During normal flight, GPS provides a stable reference point, allowing the drone to hold its position accurately even in strong winds. Automatic landing systems typically rely on visual markers or fiducials placed on the ground. The drone identifies the marker with its camera, tracks it and descends gradually until touchdown.
