Flinders University, Exail begin marine autonomy internship program

French defence technology company Exail has announced the launch of a research internship partnership with South Australia’s Flinders University, focused on maritime autonomy and robotics.

Flinders Masters student Jeremy Wojak (pictured) travelled to Brittany in western France this week to begin a six-month internship under the Nicolas Baudin Travel Grant program. 

Wojak will work at Exail’s Brest facility, alongside Exail’s Marine Data Processing Product Manager Sébastien Tauvry, and with the engineering school ENSTA Bretagne.

Exail said the partnership promises “innovative research opportunities and hands-on experiences for students” and it was hopeful it could develop over coming years “to include technologies related to marine robotics, such as autonomous decision-making and signal processing to understand the environment in which the robot is operating.”

“This collaboration further solidifies Exail’s commitment to strengthening ties with Australian universities and opens doors for real-world maritime domain experience and research with us,” said Tauvry. 

“We’ve had a strong link with ENSTA Bretagne for many years, working with their leadership and students on research and development. 

“We know that Flinders University is also dedicated to advancing capabilities in underwater vehicles and have been working with them for a few years now, so we are delighted to be moving the relationship forward with this new internship.”

Flinders Professor of Maritime Autonomy Karl Sammut – who with Tauvry forged the internship partnership between the two organisations – said working with Exail aligned with the university’s focus on marine autonomy. 

“Flinders University is a university of choice in defence research known for its strong ties to the maritime sector and fostering industry connections,” said Sammut.

Exail, along with Saab Australia, is a contender to deliver the SEA 1905 Tranche 1 — Maritime Mine Countermeasures program for the Royal Australian Navy.

Further reading

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