SabreTooth

SabreTooth is QinetiQ's hull-crawling robot with magnetic tracks that maintain contact on vertical and overhanging steel surfaces. Sonar imaging, localisation and position tracking support inspection around parts of a ship that are difficult to reach. The chassis is submersible and can move across both dry and underwater sections of a hull.

The platform offers manual, semi-autonomous and autonomous operating modes, with obstacle avoidance and a reconfigurable payload arrangement. Inspection information can be recorded for later analysis or made available during the operation. Deployment options include placement from the ship's deck, manual attachment to the hull and carriage by an unmanned underwater vehicle.