China has launched a revolutionary unmanned vessel called the “Blue Whale,” capable of traveling at high speeds on the ocean surface and diving underwater for extended missions.
The launch took place on April 28 in Zhuhai, a coastal city in South China’s Guangdong province.
The vessel is developed by Zhuhai Yunzhou Tech in partnership with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It is the world’s first of its kind- a high-speed, submersible unmanned surface vehicle designed to work both above and below the sea.
The hybrid vessel is 11 meters long and has a displacement of 12 tonnes. On the surface, it can reach speeds of up to 36 knots- a speed similar to some naval destroyers and torpedoes- making it suitable for fast deployment over long distances.
Once near its mission area, it can dive as deep as 60 meters and remain underwater in a suspended state for over 30 days.
Its submersible capabilities allow it to avoid extreme weather, such as typhoons, and continue functioning during dangerous sea conditions. The developers confirmed that it can even operate in Category 12 typhoons, where wind speeds can exceed 130 kilometers per hour.
One of its standout features is its artificial intelligence system, which uses deep learning algorithms to allow the vessel to plan its route, adjust missions in real time, and avoid obstacles.
According to Wu Guosong, chief engineer of the project at Yunzhou Tech, this AI capability has tripled the vessel’s efficiency in complex sea environments compared to manually operated systems.
The Blue Whale is also equipped with a quiet propulsion system that switches between high-speed waterjets and magnetic fluid drives. Its body is covered with special acoustic-dampening material to reduce sound and help it blend in with the ocean’s background noise. This makes it ideal for stealth operations and underwater monitoring.
The vessel is built to carry over 20 mission-specific tools, allowing it to perform a wide range of tasks. These include meteorological research, underwater mapping, high-resolution photography, water quality sampling, and inspections of underwater infrastructure like submarine cables.
It can even launch meteorological rockets and sensors close to the center of a typhoon to gather valuable oceanic and atmospheric data. This function supports missions related to storm tracking and environmental monitoring.
In a recent South China Sea trial, the vessel mapped approximately 3,000 square kilometers of seabed within 15 days. Developers reported that this performance was five times faster than traditional manned survey vessels.
Its onboard sensors also support real-time ecological monitoring. The vessel can detect events like red tides, observe fish migration, and track coral bleaching, contributing valuable data to ocean science and conservation.
Although the Blue Whale is currently being presented as a civilian tool, especially useful for oceanographic research and weather-related missions, its features and design suggest that it may be capable of dual-use applications in the future.
Chen Dake, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences involved in the project, was quoted by Chinese media as saying that the Blue Whale is a milestone in China’s efforts to independently develop marine technology and achieve greater capability in ocean exploration.
The project began in June 2024, and the development involved pressure-resistant welding, assembling the hull, and installing advanced equipment.
The vessel is now in the final stages, which include internal system debugging, mooring trials, and additional sea tests. Full deployment of the Blue Whale is expected by 2026.
Reference: scio