Northrop Grumman announced that it has completed assembly of its first prototype underwater drone inspired by manta rays, in collaboration with the US Department of Defense’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

What was previously just a concept is now beginning to take concrete shape.

This highly ambitious project, designed to develop an entirely new class of unmanned underwater vehicle, takes the form of a large drone tasked with carrying out missions in remote areas. The idea is to be able to go where humans cannot.

The craft takes its name and shape from the manta ray, the largest and most spectacular type of ray, with a wingspan of up to nine metres. This first prototype is, in theory, capable of carrying a payload and navigating autonomously, without human assistance.

It is also designed to be modular and energy-efficient so that it can be fit into a variety of containers before being assembled and put to use anywhere in the world. Its energy efficiency comes from its ability to anchor itself to the seabed and “hibernate” for as long as required.

This military apparatus could be used for surveillance and intelligence missions, from mapping the seabed to detecting the presence of enemy craft. But this underwater drone could also, and above all, be used for highly targeted military operations, from delivering munitions to destroying enemy weaponry.