Engineering
Useful thrust starts with the whole system.
Marine propulsion must balance force, weight, energy and sound. We develop EP1's motor, blades and control together around that challenge.
Scroll to explore EP1
Shaftless axial-flux marine propulsion
Thrust, weight and quietness. Engineered together.
Uncrewed surface vehicles
Strong thrust. No central shaft to foul.
We develop EP1 for sustained thrust against current and wind. Its shaftless centre removes a wrapping point for line and weed during uncrewed operations.
Autonomous underwater vehicles
Built for endurance. Engineered for quietness.
We develop motor, blades and control around low cruise-energy demand and low self-noise, supporting long missions and sensitive acoustic payloads.
Remotely operated vehicles
Hold position. Keep working.
We develop sustained thrust and responsive control around current, tether and tool loads, helping underwater robots hold position and apply force where the work demands it.
Small electric boats
Quiet on the water. Manageable on shore.
Our portable-drive work pairs EP1 with a tiller and removable battery, balancing useful thrust, energy for the trip, quiet operation and the weight you carry.
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EP1 / Band detail
Whole-vehicle design
Thrust and weight. Designed together.
EP1 brings axial-flux motor design and shaftless propulsion together around the useful output your vehicle needs.
- Useful thrust: Motor torque matched to blade loading and mission speed.
- Low installed weight: Motor and propulsor developed around thrust relative to mass.
- Energy for the task: Electrical input considered across cruise, holding and working duty.
Shaftless rim drive
Shaftless, smooth and quiet.
Drive at the rim changes the propulsion layout. Our motor, blade and control work addresses its behavior in water.
- Fewer shaft-related snags: No central drive shaft for line or weed to wrap around.
- Smooth torque: Coreless-motor and control development addresses cogging and electromagnetic excitation.
- Acoustic performance: Blade, duct and rotor-support development addresses flow noise and vibration.
Axial-flux architecture
Torque in a short profile.
In an axial-flux motor, the magnetic field crosses the active gap along the rotation axis, supporting a disc-like form.
- Torque-focused geometry: Active motor faces developed around propeller torque and available diameter.
- Short axial depth: Space planning for batteries, sensors and task equipment.
- Compact drive system: Controller packaging developed alongside the external propulsor.
Integrated assembly
Matched for efficiency. Developed to scale.
The inlet, motor ring, rotor and outlet form one assembly, developed alongside dedicated control.
- Efficient energy use: Motor, blades and control matched to the operating task.
- Sustained thrust: Water-informed thermal development addresses continuous operating loads.
- Capacity to grow: Larger units and compatible additional propulsors developed around defined interfaces.
OmniBot. EP1 put to work.
Powered by EP1, OmniBot is EcoMarine's flagship ROV for underwater fouling removal and surface cleaning. Designed for heavy marine growth, it combines maneuverability in currents with sustained thrust for surface work.
As IMO develops mandatory biofouling requirements, Canada is helping shape the framework. OmniBot combines underwater inspection and cleaning to help vessel operators manage marine growth.
- Clean steel and non-ferrous surfaces.
- EP1's thrust-based attachment enables cleaning on steel hulls, concrete and other non-magnetic structures.
- Remove fouling. Protect the surface.
- Water-jet cleaning is designed around the fouling, material and coating to protect the surface beneath.
- Inspect while you clean.
- Configure modular camera and sonar attachments to inspect underwater conditions and surfaces alongside cleaning.
Beyond steel hulls.
OmniBot is designed to hold against surfaces using EP1's sustained thrust, without magnetic attachment. This opens inspection and cleaning to concrete-lined underwater service tunnels and other non-magnetic structures, alongside vessel hulls. EP1 powers both maneuvering and attachment, giving the system flexibility across different underwater environments.
- EP1 thrust
- Non-magnetic attachment
- More working surfaces
TERN 600. EP1 for everyday boating.
EP1 propulsion, now in a portable electric outboard for small boats and tenders. TERN 600 brings the battery, controls and motor together in one self-contained system.
- Power in one unit.
- Integrated electric propulsion without a separate battery box or external power lead.
- Take the battery ashore.
- Remove the battery for charging and transport; fold the tiller for packing away.
- Mount. Steer. Go.
- A single-lever transom mount and direct tiller control keep setup straightforward.
News & Insights
Inside the engineering. Out on the water.
Inside EP1: from motor torque to useful thrust
Why we develop the axial-flux motor, shaftless rotor, blades and control as one propulsion system.
Read articleHow OmniBot cleans beyond steel hulls
EP1 thrust-based attachment lets us develop one underwater robot for steel, concrete and composite structures.
Read article
Underwater with OmniBot at the COVE docks
SEATAC joined EcoMarine at COVE to capture close-up footage of OmniBot underwater.
Read articleHelp move marine operations beyond fossil fuels.
We are developing electric propulsion for useful work on and below the water. Tell us what your vehicle needs to do.