Insider Brief
- Metron Inc. and Cellula Robotics have completed a successful sea trial off Vancouver, Canada, demonstrating their integrated autonomous undersea vehicle platform, the Guardian UUV, powered by hydrogen fuel cells.
- The trial featured Metron’s Autonomous Navigation Command and Control (ANCC) software controlling Cellula’s Guardian UUV, which can operate up to 5,000 km and for 45–60 days, surpassing battery-powered counterparts.
- The system executed multi-mission tasks, including submerged surveys and precise maneuvering, with zero human intervention, highlighting its readiness for next-generation undersea warfare applications for U.S. and allied defense sectors.
PRESS RELEASE – Metron Inc. (Metron), a leader in autonomous software innovations for defense and commercial applications, and Cellula Robotics Ltd. (Cellula), a leading provider of robotic undersea platforms, announced the successful completion of a multi-mission open-water demonstration off the coast of Vancouver, Canada. The sea trial showcased the integration of Metron’s Autonomous Navigation Command and Control (ANCC) software with Cellula’s Guardian UUV—an autonomous, long-duration, multi-payload platform designed to increase mission success in contested and complex environments. When equipped with Cellula’s advanced hydrogen fuel cell technology, the Guardian is capable of operational ranges up to 5,000 km and endurance of 45–60 days—significantly surpassing the performance of similarly sized battery-powered systems. The demonstration marked the culmination of a yearlong series of UUV operations featuring Cellula platforms integrated with Metron’s ANCC.
These joint activities reflect the progress of the Metron–Cellula strategic partnership, established in 2024 to develop scalable autonomous systems that address evolving challenges in U.S. and allied undersea warfare. Upcoming demonstrations will incorporate more complex, dynamic scenarios requiring ANCC to autonomously adapt and replan in response to changing mission and environmental conditions. The team will also showcase the Guardian’s extended range and endurance, made possible by Cellula’s innovative hydrogen fuel cell technology—reinforcing the Metron–Cellula team’s readiness to meet Department of Defense criteria for next-generation undersea capabilities.
Demonstration Highlights:
- Multi-Mission – The ANCC-controlled Guardian UUV performed several surface and submerged missions. These included a submerged survey pattern, vertical in-place depth changes, and precise maneuvering and station keeping.
- Reliability – The ANCC-Guardian system performed flawlessly with ZERO human intervention.
- Flexible Deployment – The ANCC-controlled Guardian UUV demonstration showcased port/dockside launch, hydrogen fuel-cell refueling, and an autonomous mission that included recovery—empowering complex, long-duration missions without human intervention.
- Fast Integration Timelines – The latest version of Metron’s ANCC software suite was successfully integrated, tested, and demonstrated on the Guardian UUV within three weeks, leveraging Cellula’s established backseat mission interface, allowing clients a flexible, modular operation and enhanced interoperability specific to mission requirements.
- Quick Turnaround Post-Mission Analysis – While still on the water, logs were downloaded and replayed using ANCC’s user interface, Periscope, to verify mission success.
Christine Judd, Vice President of Metron Inc.’s Unmanned Systems, said:
“Current UUV capabilities in the market present limitations in range and payload capacity, hindering the effective deployment of critical resources in certain operational scenarios. Our demonstration reflects a new model for defense collaboration built on bringing together best–of–breed commercial and defense technology to deliver cost-effective UUV solutions that provide operational relevance for mission sets conducted in communications-denied or communications-restricted environments. Our customer priorities support fully autonomous, long-endurance, complex payload delivery with deployment flexibility to enable a wide range of operational requirements. We look forward to valuable operator feedback as we continue to evolve our joint product line with Cellula Robotics.”
Van Gurley, President and CEO of Metron, added:
“It is exciting to see the success of our strategic partnership in developing cutting-edge capabilities for the warfighter at an accelerated pace. We look forward to transitioning these capabilities into operational use for our DoD customers. By integrating autonomy, long-duration endurance, and payload delivery, the Metron-Cellula team delivers a fully mission-capable system that meets the Department of Defense’s benchmarks for trusted, tested, and demonstrated performance.”
Neil Manning, CEO of Cellula Robotics, said:
“Over the past decade, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with Metron across a range of technical initiatives. Since 2018, Cellula has been developing a suite of AUV and UUV solutions, leveraging unique technologies that aim to redefine the paradigm of subsea autonomy. In 2023, we reached a key development milestone in our UUV platforms. The next progression was integrating with technical partners and aligning our systems with the clients’ mission requirements. Metron’s proven ANCC (Autonomous Navigation Command and Control) system emerged as the ideal solution for DoD-focused clients familiar with its capabilities and track record. As our partnership continues to grow, this recent demonstration highlights our ability to rapidly bring fully integrated, long-range undersea solutions to market, reinforcing the strength and agility of our collaborative approach.”
Looking Ahead:
Metron and Cellula Robotics will expand open-water demonstrations throughout 2025 in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
