Perth-made drone revolutionises underwater exploration

New underwater drone technology is helping to map shipwrecks off Western Australia's coast.

Designed and manufactured in Perth over eight years, the artificial-intelligence-powered robotic drone is unlocking the mysteries of the deep, providing unprecedented access to previously inaccessible parts of the ocean.

With the ability to capture high-quality photos and videos using a 4K camera, as well as log precise GPS coordinates, the Hydrus is providing invaluable data for researchers and marine archaeologists.

"You plan a mission on your computer, it'll go down and complete the mission fully autonomously and then once it's finished its mission, it'll return to the surface and you can scoop it up with a net," Dr Alec McGregor, an AI engineer at Advanced Navigation, explained.

The AI robotic technology has taken on the treacherous depths of the Rottnest ship graveyard, just off the WA coast.

"It really makes that inaccessible part of the ocean a lot more accessible," Western Australian Museum curator Dr Ross Anderson said.

"We can get these really fantastically clear digital representations of the wrecks and use them to study."

Remarkably, only 24 per cent of the world's oceans have been explored and charted by humans, leaving vast expanses of undiscovered territory. 

WA alone is home to nearly 2000 sunken shipwrecks, offering an unparalleled opportunity for exploration and discovery.

This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.