Ocius Bluebottle
An Australian long-endurance surveillance USV using renewable energy, with a hybrid variant and a 40-vessel Navy order announced in 2026.
- Country / region
- Australia
- Programme status
- In service / use documented
- Sources reviewed
- 20 Sept 2026
- Primary domain
- Sea surface
- System type
- Uncrewed surface vessel
- Developer / manufacturer
- Ocius Technology
- Origin / production countries
- Australia
- Other names
- Bluebottle USV
- Variants / configurations
- Renewable-energy Bluebottle; Bluebottle Hybrid — added diesel generator
- Operators / programme customers
- Royal Australian Navy; Royal New Zealand Navy — supplier-reported use
Evidence & current status
The fleet total announced in 2026 includes new procurement. Current and older Bluebottle dimensions differ; wind-force and sea-state scales are not interchangeable.
Role & capabilities
- Persistent maritime surveillance
- Acoustic sensing support
- Environmental and hydrographic data collection
Specifications in context
- Configuration
- Uncrewed long-endurance surveillance vessel
Supplier-published figure; configuration and operating conditions affect performance.
Source ↗ - Hull / propulsion
- Electric, wind and wave energy; Hybrid adds diesel generation
Supplier-published figure; configuration and operating conditions affect performance.
Source ↗ - Dimensions
- 7.4 m length
Current advertised configuration; earlier hull generations differ.
Source ↗ - Displacement / mass
- Not established in the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source ↗ - Payload
- Surface and subsurface sensor suites; Hybrid supports higher-power payloads
Supplier-published figure; configuration and operating conditions affect performance.
Source ↗ - Endurance
- Manufacturer reports deployments exceeding six months
Reported endurance record, not a guaranteed mission duration.
Source ↗ - Range
- Not established in the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source ↗ - Speed
- Not established in the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source ↗ - Sea state / environment
- Manufacturer states Beaufort force 8
The source calls this 'operating sea state' but explicitly uses Beaufort; not sea state 8.
Source ↗ - Sensors
- Configurable maritime surveillance and underwater acoustic payloads
Supplier-published figure; configuration and operating conditions affect performance.
Source ↗ - Communications / control
- Not established in the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source ↗ - Launch / deployment
- Boat-ramp trailer launch or crane handling
Supplier-published figure; configuration and operating conditions affect performance.
Source ↗