Dynautics Ltd announces Electronics Interface to Mercury Outboard Motors for unmanned use.

A few weeks ago (Halloween) we reported being ‘worked to the bone’ and promised a release of  new Mercury Outboard motor control for unmanned use. It has been completed and delivered to our first customer, Altus LSA (Greece)

Altus LSA unmanned RHIB with Dynautics SPECTRE MK4 navigation control system with the Mercury Interface Module (MIM) for controlling Mercury Marine outboard motors

Altus LSA, based in Greece, an established supplier of Ariel Unmanned Systems, approached Dynautics for the conversion of their standard RHIB for unmanned use. The standard RHIB was fitted with a Mercury Verado 150HP outboard motor which are traditionally controlled by a Mercury proprietary interface protocol. Dynautics overcame this by developing a Mercury Interface Module (Dynautics MIM) and integrating a MHK NEC KE5+ electronics throttle system. The Dynautics system was designed to allow for both manned and unmanned operation.

Mr Elias Glymidakis, project manager at Altus LSA, commented on the integration success, ‘Our customer demanded a reliable and cost-effective conversion of the manned RHIB to an unmanned version. Dynautics provided the MK4 Spectre navigation system and a customised interface to control the Mercury outboard motors. Dynautics responded quickly and thoroughly, they also commissioned the electronics with our technicians’

Dr. Henry Robinson, CEO of Dynautics commented, ‘We have undertaken RHIB conversion previously for other customers and our MK4 system is ideally suited to this application’ and he also commented on the challenges of working with Mercury outboards motors, ‘It is well known that Mercury control systems are closed and access to their CAN control protocol is not possible. However, we successfully developed a solution that allowed us to achieve unmanned control and maintain the integrity of the system. We can now offer other customers the same solution’

Dynautics Mercury Interface Module (MIM) – (90 x 115 x 11.5mm)