Ocean Power Technologies Inc (NYSE-A:OPTT) announced progress in its offshore charging and autonomous maritime operations, including a successful demonstration of autonomous docking and charging capabilities for its WAM-V autonomous surface vehicle.
The Monroe Township, New Jersey-based company said the system enables the WAM-V to approach a dock, secure itself, recharge, and redeploy without human intervention, addressing a key operational challenge for long-duration offshore autonomous missions.
Ocean Power Technologies said it is working toward integrating the capability with its PowerBuoy platform, which could serve as offshore charging stations for autonomous maritime drones and electric vessels.
The company said the long-term goal is to support a distributed marine charging network capable of extending offshore operational endurance.
“Extending time on station while reducing the need for manned support is critical to scaling offshore autonomy,” Ocean Power Technologies CEO Philipp Stratmann said in a statement.
“Docking and charging is an integral step forward in making these systems practical and cost-effective for customers.”
In addition to the charging initiative, the company said it is advancing a next-generation system architecture program for its WAM-V platform. The upgrade is intended to improve system compatibility, simplify future upgrades, increase endurance, and support a wider range of customer payloads.
Ocean Power Technologies said the developments are aimed at supporting persistent offshore operations across both defense and commercial markets through continued advances in autonomy software and integrated marine systems.