Marine Tech winner of France 2030 – France 2030 – State actions

1. The Marine Tech company

Created in 2014 and based in Six fours les Plages, Marine Tech is an engineering company specializing in the exploration and protection of the marine environment.

This SME

Small and medium-sized businesses of around ten employees, designs and markets innovative solutions including:

• a system for recovering oil slicks at sea (NOTIL surface trawl).
• a device for capturing fresh water sources at the bottom of the sea.
• a set of maritime drones for ocean mapping.

For more information, visit the company's website: www.marinetech.fr

Marine Tech also has a subsidiary, HELIO WATER (www.heliowater.fr), which is developing a 100% autonomous drinking water production system using solar and sea energy.

2. The project MANTA^X

The project MANTA^Xled by Marine Tech and its partners (Hologarde, SHIP AS A SERVICE, and i2S), was selected as part of the CORIMER 2023 call for projects of the France 2030 program.

This project aims to develop an innovative solution for mapping and monitoring coastal areas and the deep seabed, using the UHV MANTA underwater drone, operated using algorithms integrating decision-making autonomy.

New generation cameras as well as an underwater docking station allowing data transfer and rapid recharging will help to significantly increase mission autonomy. The device will be supplemented by a deep-sea wire-guided robot (ROV) to also offer intervention capacity, essential for complex operations.

It is an ambitious program, but one which already benefits from a set of existing technological building blocks. It will have a budget of more than 5M euros for 36 months of development.

The first copy of the Manta drone was presented and awarded an Award (special GICAN prize) at the last Euronaval 2024 show.

Sea tests will begin in the first half of 2025 off the coast of Toulon.

Ultimately, this project will help create 12 jobs among all partners with systems production in the Var.

3. The CORIMER 2023 call for projects

Since 2018, CORIMER (Orientation Council for Research and Innovation for maritime industries) has played a key role as an interface between the State and the maritime sector, by piloting innovation and guiding projects towards aid schemes, notably France 2030.

This call for expressions of interest (AMI) aims to support R&D projects carried out by companies in the maritime sector, whatever their size, alone or in consortium. The objective is to accelerate the commercialization of innovative and sustainable technologies, services or solutions, by covering the industrial R&D phases through to demonstration in real conditions.

I will speak

“The MANTA project^X aims to develop a solution exploration and intervention in the deep seabed through the use of new generation drones.

The main vector is an underwater drone with innovative characteristics, inspired by nature, the UHV MANTA (Unmanned Hybrid Vehicle) developed by Marine Tech, which integrates sensors to map and inspect the seabed and equipped with decision-making autonomy .

An underwater docking station is currently being developed to allow the MANTA drone to be deployed safely in rough seas but also to increase mission autonomy through its ability to recharge the drone and transfer data.

Equipped with innovative cameras incorporating image processing algorithms, the UHV MANTA will thus be equipped with greatly improved vision for its exploration missions in depths of up to 6000m.

These developments are made possible thanks to a strategic alliance with a large group, APD through its subsidiary Hologarde, as well as two other companies with expertise in underwater intervention and vision, respectively SAAS-Comex and I2s.

This project, which received certification and financial support from France 2030, demonstrates our desire to meet tomorrow's challenges, namely the security and monitoring of sensitive maritime installations (offshore wind power, submarine cables, oil sites). ,…) in France and throughout the world.

Ultimately, within 36 months, more than ten jobs will be created, an increase in our drone manufacturing capacity in our Var facilities as well as international development to cover demands growth of other nations.”

Watch the Marine Tech company presentation video of its MANTA underwater drone^X

MANTA X – A new generation hybrid drone