Robotic Lifeguard EMILY Proves Itself in the Wake of Hurricane Dorian

“EMILY’s 18-year progression is inspiring,” said SBIR Director Bob Smith. “From whale-monitoring efforts, to supporting warfighters in harm’s way, to impacting global humanitarian efforts, EMILY is a classic ‘overnight success story’ years in the making.”

ONR notes that EMILY’s roots stretch back to 2001, when Mulligan received ONR and SBIR-STTR funding to develop a computer- and sensor-operated UAV to monitor whale movements during Navy sonar testing. However, when the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq erupted, Mulligan improved and transformed his vehicles into Silver Fox UAVs in 2003, which helped U.S. troops conduct aerial surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

In 2011, Mulligan received Navy funding to disassemble existing Silver Foxes and use their components—such as motor parts and navigation computers—to build unmanned surface vehicles for hurricane tracking, tsunami response and search-and-rescue missions. This technology was used to develop EMILY.

Mulligan and his business partner, Robert Lautrup (executive vice president of Hydronalix and EMILY co-inventor), still work with ONR and SBIR-STTR to develop components to improve EMILY and design spinoffs focusing on search and rescue, law enforcement, water sampling and Navy mine counter-measure missions.

Mulligan has provided more than 400 EMILY vehicles to navies, coast guards and search-and-rescue units in the U.S. and other countries including Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, France, Mongolia, Brazil, Mexico and Greece.

“EMILY is one of many successful partnerships involving small businesses, ONR and Navy SBIR-STTR,” ONR says.