NAUTILUS HISTORY

Nautilus has been in the radio remote control and automation business for 43 years. Our products are backed by cutting edge research and development with the goal of improving safety and efficiency in the mining sector. Simple, beautiful, and easy to use is our motto.

JAN 1978
Nautilus founded

Nautilus is founded by Jason Wyndham Hart. Jason was an officer in the Royal Air Force before being assigned to the Ministry of Defence in Uxbridge, London, specializing in high-speed communication systems.

JAN 1991
Remote Controls for Submarines

Nautilus designs and develops remote controls for submarines and other naval vessels for Seaspan and Rivtow. This was the origin of the Nautilus name and logo. The company pivots to developing remote controls for LHDs, continuous miners, jumbo drill rigs, rock breakers, roof bolters, longwall cutters, locomotives and many others in the mining industry. The water in the Nautilus logo is now meant to signify the water found in underground mines.

JAN 1993
LHD Systems

Tele-operation system of our first LHD at INCO Thompson's mine in Canada and at Codelco in Chile.

JAN 1997
Autonomous Guidance Prototype

Deployment of an early autonomous guidance prototype at Northparkes Mine (NSW Australia): 6 Tamrock Toro electric loaders operated from a single control room. Sparks' ongoing research into autonomous systems.

MAY 1999
Proximity Detection Development

Proximity detection development to protect operators from getting hit by moving machinery. The Buddy-PPS System and 120SSF-BUDDY System were tested at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in May 1999 and May 2000.

JAN 2005
Coal Buddy Proximity Detection System

Coal Buddy Proximity Detection system receives the Safety Award from BHP and Mitsubishi (BMA) Australia.

JAN 2007
Teleremote systems in Australia

Deployment of several teleremote systems in Kalgoorlie “Golden Mile” area of Western Australia.

JAN 2009
Teleremote System at Ekati Diamond Mine

Deployment of a teleremote system at Ekati Diamond Mine; multiple machines operating in a highly geologically unstable area from a single control room on a different mine level.

JAN 2010
Autonomous Driver-Assist System

Successful trial of the autonomous driver-assist system with laser scanners at Hudson Bay Mining Company (Canada). Deployment of a teleremote control system at Red Lake ON, operating several loaders 1200-1500m below ground from a surface control room.

JAN 2014
IP-based Video System

New, IP-based video system development started.

JAN 2016
Thumb Controller-Based Remote Control

Thumb Controller-based remote control for a continuous coal miner receives MSHA approval.

JAN 2019
Ethernet-Based Remote Control

Deployment of the first Ethernet-based remote control system operating five rock breakers from a single above-ground control room.

JAN 2020
Partnership with Nerospec SK - GHH

Partnership with Nerospec SK - GHH (Germany) in development of fully autonomous guidance system for new use cases.

JAN 2022
Journey Continues

Marks the 43rd anniversary of Nautilus and the journey continues.