Tapping in to ocean-space opportunities: from satellites to the seabed

With a rapidly growing international membership base, the Ocean Autonomy Cluster (OAC) based in Trondheim, Norway, is supporting cross-border collaboration and innovation around the world. In this interview, Frode Halvorsen, cluster manager of the OAC, discusses its role in bridging the gap between academic research and the industry. “Faster and more effective commercialization of autonomous research and the scaling up of high-potential solutions benefits not only individual companies, but also society as a whole.”

Although only a relatively small town in central Norway, Trondheim has a big reputation in the world of maritime technology. The world’s first test site for autonomous vessels was opened in the sheltered waters of the Trondheim Fjord (700m depth) in 2016. Originally comprising 3,000km², it has since been expanded to 17,000km². Trondheim is also home to the Norwegian Technical University (NTNU), where around 30,000 of the town’s 200,000-strong population study, while a further 10,000 people are employed there.

“Trondheim is a knowledge-heavy town which is known as the Tech Capital of Norway. It also has a long maritime history. In fact, the first ocean technology lab was opened here almost a hundred years ago,” says Frode Halvorsen, cluster manager of the Ocean Autonomy Cluster in Trondheim. “The combination of the test site – where companies can deploy their latest inventions in relatively safe yet challenging, real-life Atlantic conditions – and the expertise, research and innovation stemming from the university makes Trondheim a natural gravitational point for the ocean technology community.”

Safe, sustainable and profitable autonomous solutions

In view of all these ingredients, Trondheim is the ideal base for the Ocean Autonomy Cluster (OAC), which was set up as part of the government’s Norwegian Innovation Clusters Programme in 2020, run by Siva, Innovation Norway, and the Norwegian Research Council. “The aim of the OAC is to strengthen Norway’s global leadership role in future autonomous solutions. As a cluster, we facilitate the transition from conventional solutions to safer, more sustainable and profitable autonomous ones by bringing together different companies and organizations,” comments Halvorsen. “This accelerates the development and commercialization of the business opportunities within ocean autonomy – below, on, and above the water’s surface,” he adds.

The cluster officially started on 1 March 2020, but just 12 days later Norway closed down due to COVID-19 restrictions. “This wasn’t the best start for an innovation cluster that was supposed to bring people and companies together for innovation projects,” admits Halvorsen. “On the other hand, COVID-19 not only underlined the need for unmanned and remote operations, but was also a great accelerator for both.”

He recalls one of the OAC’s members – OceanTech Innovation – working on an offshore inspection project at that time which should have been a three-day operation in Aberdeen, Scotland, but turned into a trip lasting almost three weeks. “Nowadays, the same operation could probably be managed remotely from Trondheim or any other place in the world with a good internet connection,” he states.

Rapidly growing membership base

The OAC membership base is growing rapidly, with five new members having joined in the previous week, bringing the total to around 70 organizations. “As the service provider, our team has grown to keep pace with our membership numbers. Whereas I was the only one in 2020, there are now eight of us working full time to serve our members,” adds Halvorsen.

The membership profile is very varied, ranging from startups and small businesses to large companies such as Kongsberg, and even leading ferry operators including Torghatten and Boreal. “Due to increased attention to operating costs, stricter environmental requirements, and a labour shortage putting pressure on service continuity, ferry operators are looking to automate and autonomize wherever they can: not just navigation, but also loading, unloading, ticket handling and engine management,” explains Halvorsen. “By joining the OAC, they can improve their knowledge and competences, get to know other members who might be able to help them, and be among the first to hear about new technology and research projects.”

Access to research and funding

Halvorsen believes the cluster’s close partnership with the NTNU adds value for the entire ocean technology community. “We bridge the gap between academics and researchers, and the industry and users. By disseminating details of the latest research and technologies to industry players, we functioning as a kind of business developer for ideas and spin-offs from the university. At the same time, we alert existing companies to the latest technological possibilities as the basis for innovation, driving further progress,” he says.

As an example of how this works in practice, he mentions a small event hosted by the OAC together with Maritime Robotics in September. Called ‘AfterSea with TrønderROC’, it showcased concrete plans and projects related to remote operation centres (ROCs). “This technology is expected to play a key role in the future of maritime operations, and we invited all interested actors to contribute to the development of solutions that can make offshore operations more flexible and cost-efficient,” explains Halvorsen. “We also brought in some research from NTNU’s Shore Control Lab – an advanced laboratory within for design prototyping and user research to make maritime technology compatible with human needs. Their mission is to enhance situational awareness, safety and usability using applied research methodologies,” he continues.

For suppliers of autonomous technology, membership of the OAC offers additional benefits. “Besides the networking and knowledge-sharing advantages, we provide access to a number of other ‘tools’ and programmes including the Ocean Space Incubator and the European Space Agency’s Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC). In fact, our Norwegian members often recoup their membership fee several times over by securing additional funding through such programmes,” says the cluster manager.

“When it comes to our startup members, we often find that they are technologically mature but lack commercial experience. We can help them get their company off the ground by supporting admin, business development, applications for funding, and so on,” he adds. “And of course, one of the major benefits of OAC membership is the test site ‘tool’, which helps our members get access to vessels and data to test and validate their solutions in real-world situations.”

For this, the OAC works very closely with Fjordlab. This organization provides national infrastructure for full-scale ocean experiments, and research, development and testing of underwater robotics, underwater installations, autonomous ships and ship operations.

Shift to multi-domain operations

When the cluster started, the primary focus was on supporting surface vessels and some underwater projects. The approach was structured around the various horizontal markets for autonomous technology, e.g. transport, fish farming, offshore energy. “But the tech community in Trondheim is historically strong on what we call in Norwegian havrom – with hav meaning ‘ocean’ and rom meaning ‘space’. Therefore, we decided to take a vertical ‘ocean space’ approach,” explains Halvorsen. “This is not to be confused with ‘hydrospatial’, which as I understand it refers to different types of water bodies, such as lakes, oceans and rivers. By ocean space, we mean the vertical spatial range covering everything from the seabed to the satellites in orbit.” 

“After all, uncrewed vessels – whether underwater or on the surface – need satellite data for navigation and communication purposes. Moreover, many of our members are not just involved in USVs, but also in drones. By focusing less on the specific applications, we’re helping organizations to tap into the possibilities created by autonomous ocean technology when it’s seamlessly combined into multi-domain operations,” he adds.

Whereas ocean space relates to autonomous solutions in the ‘y-axis’, the OAC also covers the ‘x-axis’ by supporting developments in over-the-horizon control. “What we mean here is operating and controlling robotic vessels remotely when they are beyond the line of sight. Improvements in sensor technology are opening up lots of opportunities in this area,” he says.

Pivot towards the dual-use market

Besides the COVID-19 pandemic, another accelerator of developments in autonomous and uncrewed solutions has been the war in Ukraine, according to the cluster manager. “Autonomous technology is aimed at replacing three types of tasks: dull, dirty and dangerous. In the Ukraine conflict, we’ve seen rapid innovation in the use of drones to reduce human risk in the dangerous war zone, for instance,” states Halvorsen.

“But it’s not just about defence; it’s more about preparedness. In the current times of geopolitical uncertainty, it’s increasingly essential to monitor critical infrastructure. Autonomous technology used in the fish-farming sector to detect natural predators or undesirable water conditions can also be deployed as early-warning systems for underwater threats in harbours or around wind farms or oil & gas platforms. Therefore we are experiencing exponential growth and expect to continue to see an increased need for our services,” he adds.

“Many of our members who had previously only provided technology for civil and commercial uses have noticed increased interest from the defence side in recent years. These companies have of course pivoted more towards the dual-use market – not only from an entrepreneurial perspective, but because they have innovation in their DNA and are keen to tailor existing autonomous solutions to help improve European security,” he explains. “We launched the XLRTR scaleup and acceleration programme to help SMEs take a structured approach to the dual-use industry. Our first group of Norwegian members have now reached the end of that, having gained the expertise and network they need to succeed.”

Strengthening the international community

Despite being part of a Norwegian government programme, the OAC’s membership base extends far beyond the national borders. Several members come from elsewhere in Europe – especially Germany and the UK – and some are even based in the USA. “Most of them actually reached out to us and asked whether they could join. That says it all about Trondheim’s reputation within the international ocean technology community,” comments Halvorsen.

Over the past three years, he has travelled a lot, attending conferences and seminars, meeting prospective members and partners, and building an international network of industry connections, including with similar innovation clusters in other countries. “I am a firm believer in collaborating when you can, and competing when you have to. By building pan-European and worldwide contacts and leveraging the network, we can provide even more value to our members by facilitating introductions that may lead to tangible, real-world projects,” he says.

Cross-border interaction

There are already multiple examples of cross-border interaction. “Some of our Norwegian members have hosted visits from abroad, including from Denmark, Ukraine and Brazil. One of our new members from the USA wanted to test radar software here in Norway to better understand the thermographic conditions,” comments Halvorsen. “And the connections go both ways, with Norwegian companies having travelled to work on projects in countries including Germany and Croatia. Such partnerships strengthen not only the innovation network throughout Europe, but also the European community, which I think is very important in today’s geopolitical climate.”

In terms of tangible projects, the OAC is breathing new life into the Flexible Autonomous Smart Transport (FAST) R&D project. “In the context of more sustainable logistics, this project was initially launched in 2020 to encourage a shift in cargo transport from road to sea. The question was: Can a modular, autonomous and flexible barge system at sea outperform the truck in the future?” he explains. “Now, against the backdrop of forecasts of 1.5% annual growth in total freight flows in Norway, and with a landslide having blocked part of a key national railway connection, this issue has become even more pressing. A new transport solution based on autonomous/remote-controlled/low-crewed vessels and smart systems could not only be more cost-effective and environmentally friendly, but would also improve our country’s infrastructural preparedness.”

Future outlook

When asked about the future of ocean autonomy, it is no great surprise that Halvorsen mentions artificial intelligence (AI). “AI is at the core of autonomy; without AI, it’s just automation,” he states. “So it’s great news that NTNU is set to lead the Norwegian Maritime AI Centre, the first of its kind in the world, when it opens in early 2026. As an industry partner, we’re looking forward to sharing the benefits of that research with our members and the wider community.”

Another key opportunity according to Halvorsen lies in the shift away from the use of single drones or vessels in favour of deployment in swarms: “People often think of drone swarms in the context of the air only, but when combined across multiple domains – air, surface and subsea – they can add a whole new dimension to operations.” For example, NTNU researchers from the Centre for Autonomous Marine Operations and Systems (AMOS) have conducted an experiment using a small satellite, an uncrewed aerial vehicle, two uncrewed boats and subsea robots in what’s called an ‘observational pyramid’. “In their project, they used this setup to survey the same area simultaneously and study the effects of temperature and ecosystem changes on marine life. This could potentially be useful for other monitoring applications such as defence and security, for instance,” he comments.

With its funding application for the 2026-2028 having recently been approved, the OAC is looking forward to continuing to add value for the hydrographic sector and adjacent fields over the coming years. “When it comes to taking research findings and turning them into commercial products, Norwegian companies and others elsewhere in Europe are lagging behind other countries. By intensifying our focus on cross-border collaboration, we aim to support the fast and effective commercialization of autonomous research and the scaling up of high-potential solutions. This will benefit not only individual companies, but also society as a whole,” Halvorsen concludes.

OAC members in their own words

Blueye Robotics

Blueye Robotics develops mini-ROVs that provide rapid, reliable and real-time visual inspections below the surface. Its focus is on empowering professionals with intuitive technology that enables remote operations, minimizes risk and supports data-driven decisions. By combining robust hardware and intelligent software, Blueye contributes to the growing ecosystem of autonomous ocean technologies and digitalization in the blue economy.

“We joined the Ocean Autonomy Cluster in 2020 to collaborate with other leading Norwegian companies and research institutions driving innovation in autonomous marine operations,” says Christian Gabrielsen, CEO of Blueye Robotics. “The cluster provides an ideal platform for knowledge exchange, joint development projects and increased visibility in the global ocean technology community.”

Through the OAC, Blueye has participated in industry workshops, innovation forums and collaborative R&D initiatives related to subsea monitoring, data sharing, and autonomy. “OAC membership has strengthened our network across the ocean technology ecosystem, fostering partnerships and collaborations that accelerate product innovation. It has also enhanced our international exposure – including at events and exhibitions – and provided valuable insights into emerging standards and market opportunities within autonomous and remote ocean operations,” he continues.

“As ocean industries move towards greater autonomy and sustainability, we see the OAC as a key platform for joint innovation and global outreach. We expect to increase our activity within the cluster, particularly around interoperability, data management and integration of autonomous systems,” he adds.

“The OAC plays a crucial role in uniting industry, academia, and government to advance ocean autonomy. Blueye Robotics is proud to contribute to this collective effort and looks forward to continued collaboration toward safer, smarter, and more sustainable ocean operations,” concludes Gabrielsen.

Maritime Robotics

Maritime Robotics’ autonomous technology enables safe, efficient and sustainable remote-controlled maritime operations worldwide, significantly reducing human risk, fuel consumption and environmental impact across defence and security, ocean mapping, and offshore energy.

The company has been a member of the OAC since 2020. “The global demand for sustainable, secure, and cost-efficient marine operations is more urgent than ever. Our work within the OAC is a direct response to this need,” states Eirik Hovstein, VP defence at Maritime Robotics. “The cluster enables us to form strategic partnerships companies aimed at developing more efficient and sustainable marine operations with other world-leading technology. One example is our recent partnership with Eelume. By integrating our uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) with their autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), we can offer a comprehensive surface-to-subsea solution that dramatically reduces operational costs and emissions.”

A second reason was innovation and development. “The cluster provides a framework for joint projects and research, allowing us to push the boundaries of what’s possible. It helps us stay at the forefront of the industry by working with leading R&D institutions,” comments Hovstein. “And last but not least, as a Norwegian company, we believe in contributing to our nation’s reputation as a leader in autonomous technology. The OAC is a vital hub for this, fostering a collaborative ecosystem that drives commercialization and export.”

“The maritime industry is undergoing a paradigm shift, and no single company can drive it alone,” he continues. “By joining forces, we can collectively tackle the complex challenges of sustainability, efficiency and security in the world’s oceans. The OAC is not just a cluster; it's a launchpad for the future of maritime technology.”

“We’re not just developing products; we’re creating solutions that will enable a more responsible approach to managing our oceans and a safer working environment for people. The collaboration we've achieved with our partners through the OAC is a testament to the power of a shared vision and is a model for success in this rapidly evolving industry,” he adds.

The company anticipates that its involvement with the OAC will further intensify. “The future of maritime autonomy lies in autonomous robotic organizations (AROs): teams of heterogeneous companies working together seamlessly across air, surface and underwater environments,” explains Hovstein. “The OAC will be central to this shift, and we expect to be at the forefront of projects that develop these ‘systems of systems’. This will enable more robust, efficient, and cost-effective operations at a scale previously unimaginable,” he concludes.

F&Z Solutions

Founded in 2023, F&Z Solutions builds uncrewed surface vehicles with the aim of bringing cutting-edge research tools into industry. The company’s vision is to democratize access to high-quality environmental data by making water monitoring accessible, scalable and sustainable based on simplicity, reliability and robustness.

“When we joined the OAC in 2024, the main reasons were to gain access to the network, events and funding opportunities,” comments Andrea Faltynkova, CEO of F&Z Solutions. “Besides connecting with similar businesses in Trondheim, we also saw opportunities for internationalization.”

Since becoming a member, the company has leveraged a number of resources through the OAC, including for product development, business development and legal support. “Additionally, we have received beneficial exposure through the OAC’s newsletters and LinkedIn posts,” says Faltynkova.

Looking ahead, she expects that F&Z Solutions will contribute more to the OAC as it grows as a company, such as by suggesting or perhaps even facilitating events. “There is a wealth of knowledge and experience shared in the cluster, and it has been instrumental for us in securing funding for development projects and other activities,” she concludes.

About Frode Halvorsen

Frode Halvorsen has been cluster manager for the Ocean Autonomy Cluster since March 2020. He has over 20 years’ professional experience related to innovation and entrepreneurship in various fields, and previously worked in education as a teacher of natural science. Halvorsen holds a master's degree in Strategy and Business Development from the Norwegian Technical University (NTNU).