Aftermarket NAUT module lets Vision 60 quadruped robot swim

Ghost Robotics' Vision 60 quadruped robot is already quite a versatile beast, capable of walking, running and even carrying a gun. Now, thanks to a third-party attachment, it can also "swim" through the water.

In its base form, the 51-kg (112-lb) Vision 60 is able to traverse uneven terrain, sprint at a top speed of 3 meters per second (9.8 ft/s), carry a payload weighing up to 10 kg (22 lb), and operate for three hours per charge of its lithium battery pack.

And while it's already IP67 waterproof – meaning it can be submerged to 1 m (3.3 ft) for 30 minutes without leaking – it had previously only been able to wade through the water. That's is no longer the case, however, thanks to Onyx Industries' Nautical Autonomous Unmanned Tail (NAUT) module.

Recently unveiled at the 2022 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa, Florida, the NAUT was designed specifically for the Vision 60.

Ghost Robotics

Attached to rear end of the floating robot, the aluminum-bodied jet-drive device delivers a top speed of 3 knots (3.5 mph or 5.6 km/h). The NAUT operates either autonomously or by remote control, steering the Vision 60 via a thrust vectoring system – the robot keeps its legs tucked in to improve hydrodynamics as it travels through the water.

Power is provided either by the robot's battery, or by the NAUT's own – in the latter scenario, it has a claimed runtime of over 30 minutes. The module itself weighs 2 lb (0.9 kg), with the battery adding another 3 lb (1.4 kg). It can be quickly detached when necessary, and like the Vision 60, it's IP67 waterproof.

An Onxy representative tells us that it's available now, via the company website. The NAUT module can be seen in use, in the following video tweeted by Ghost Robotics.

Sources: Onyx Industries, Ghost Robotics via The Robot Report