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The U.S. Navy has completed testing for an underwater drone based on a fish called Ghostswimmer.
The chief of naval operations' Rapid Innovation Cell (CRIC) has been testing the biomimetic robot for the past several weeks at a base in Virginia beach.
Its bio-mimicry provides additional security during low visibility intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions and friendly hull inspections, while remaining quieter than propeller driven craft of the same size, according to Navy Warfare Development Command.
The tuna-sized device, which has been developed by robotics firm Boston Dynamics, has been gathering data on tides, varied currents, wakes, and weather conditions for the development of future tasks.
The Ghostswimmer is part of a project that explores possible uses for biomimetic, unmanned underwater vehicles in defence applications called Silent Nemo.
Michael Rufo, director of Boston Engineering's Advanced Systems Group, said: "GhostSwimmer will allow the Navy to have success during more types of missions while keeping divers and Sailors safe.
"It swims just like a fish does by oscillating its tail fin back and forth. The unit is a combination of unmanned systems engineering and unique propulsion and control capabilities."
The Ghostswimmer was developed to resemble the shape and mimic the swimming style of a large fish. At a length of approximately 5ft and a weight of nearly 45kg, the Ghostswimmer vehicle can operate in water depths ranging from 10 inches to 300 feet.
The robot is capable of operating autonomously for extended periods of time due to its long-lasting battery. It can also be controlled via a laptop with a 500ft tether. The tether is long enough to transmit information while inspecting a ship's hull, for example, but if operating independently the robot has to be periodically brought to the surface to download its data.