Rovco assets sold to Swiss group
The assets of Bristol underwater technology specialist Beam have been acquired by Swiss technology group Rosenxt for an undisclosed sum.
Beam was formed from the merger of Rovco and its spin off company Vaarty in 2024, indicating some challenges with the funding Vaarst was the data side of the business and aimed to tap into the AI boom.
Beam went into administration in May 2025 after a failed funding round, laying off 162 of its 195 staff. In 2023, Rovco (trading as Beam) reported a turnover of £19.6 million but incurred a loss of £8.1 million, following a loss of £8.7 million the previous year
Much of its business was in Aberdeen for monitoring oil rigs and wind turbines with remotely operated and autonomous underwater vehicles, (ROV and AUV).
The acquisition does not constitute a continuation of all Beam’s former operations says Rosenxt. Rather, it represents a carefully considered consolidation of key technical assets and expert talent.
Rosenxt will integrate these capabilities into its broader subsea strategy, with a focus on growth in Aberdeen and Bristol.
“Beam’s innovative legacy aligns with Rosenxt’s ambitious long-term vision,” said Hermann Rosen, Chairman of the Board. “This acquisition strengthens our ability to lead in next-generation subsea technologies, looking at least 10 years ahead”.
“We acknowledge the uncertainty experienced by clients, partners, and former employees following Beam’s abrupt closure,” said Dirk van Vinckenroye, General Manager Rosenxt.
“With this acquisition, we are laying the groundwork for a new chapter – one that values stability as much as innovation.”
Bath students win global drone competition
Students from the University of Bath have won a global competition to develop and fly a completely autonomous drone.
The competition earlier this month saw 32 teams from the UK, Estonia, China, Italy, Netherlands, and Portugal in Lincolnshire.
The Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Challenge has been running since 2014 and is supported by Wiltshire-based Callen-Lenz, as well as design tool developer Ansys, Intalian defence firm Leonardo and BAE Systems/FalconWorks and Babcock, as well as over eighty volunteers
The competition rules permit various design approaches for drones weighing up to 10kg, resulting in a range of aircraft entered this year. Some notable participants included teams from Beihang University and Heriot-Watt University, which used self-designed catapult systems to launch their drones, as well as a VTOL tailsitter design from the Estonian Aviation Academy that completed an autonomous flight and payload drop, marking a milestone for the event.
Teams operated under variable weather conditions throughout the week, experiencing high temperatures, rain, and winds exceeding 20 knots. This resulted in fourteen flights on the first complete day and extended flying periods later in the week to accommodate all teams.
Participants were required to configure their drones for autonomous operation, performing tasks such as waypoint navigation, humanitarian aid package delivery, and automatic return to base along a specified route. Additionally, teams demonstrated the aircraft’s efficiency, manoeuvrability, and sustainability.
The following teams have been recognised for their achievements:
• Grand Champions: Team Bath Drones, University of Bath
• Runners Up: Beihang Aeromodelling Team, Beihang University
• Third Place: Fly-Mi, Politecnico Di Milano
• Innovation Award: Team Blue Sparrow, Estonian Aviation Academy
• Design Award: DroneTeam Twente, University of Twente
• Simulation Award: Gryphon Arrows, University of Leeds
• Scrutineering Award: Team Bath Drones, University of Bath
• Safety Award: Fly-Mi, Politecnico Di Milano
• Environmental Award: Team Bath Drones, University of Bath
• Airworthiness Award: UCD UAV Team, University College Dublin
• Operational Supportability Award: Team Blue Sparrow, Estonian Aviation Academy
• Business Proposition Award: UCD UAV Team, University College Dublin
• Most Promise Award: Team Aero-Watt, Heriot-Watt University
• Advancement Award: DOPE Aerospace, University of Genova
• Media and Engagement Award: DroneTeam Twente, University of Twente
“To win this worldwide competition among really strong competition is a just amazing. The team have worked incredibly hard this year to make our drone even better in terms of how it flies and how it’s made, so to take the overall win is a great way to end our season,” said team lead Ashviny Ramanathan who has just completed a Master’s in Aerospace Engineering in Bath’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. “It was a great experience that we plan to replicate next year.”
In addition to securing the overall victory, the team received the environmental award for their innovative application of flax fibre composites in the drone’s fuselage, as well as the scrutineering award for their comprehensive systems and pre-flight processes. They also achieved runner-up positions in the innovation, airworthiness, and safety categories.
“As well as making a drone that flies beautifully, they also took on the additional challenge of reducing the impact of its manufacture as well by using plant-based composites, which they learned to work with and manufacture themselves,” said Dr Samuel Bull, a lecturer in Mechanical Engineering and the team’s academic supervisor.
The full list of competitors is:
• Beihang Aeromodelling Team – Beihang University
• Pheonix – Coventry University
• Cranfield UIAS society – Cranfield University
• DMU Merlin – De Montfort University
• Blue Sparrow – Estonian Aviation Academy
• Aero Watt – Heriot Watt University
• Vefa Aviation – Istanbul Technical University
• Loughborough UAV – Loughborough University
• Hawk of Hereford – NMITE
• Fly-Mi – Politecnico di Milano
• HORUS UPV – Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV)
• Caelus – Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna
• Haggis Aerospace – The University of Dundee
• UCD UAV Team – University College Dublin
• UCL Team Nova 1 – University College London (UCL)
• UCL Team Nova 2 – University College London (UCL)
• AutoMec – University of Aveiro
• Team Bath Drones – University of Bath
• AirOne – University of Bologna
• Big Abatha/ Team buds – University of Bristol
• Project ARGO – University of Leicester
• Avis Drone Labs – University of Sheffield
• Team Alpha Southampton – University of Southampton
• Peryton Flamingo – University of Surrey
• UWE AeroSoc – University of the West England, Bristol
• DroneTeam Twente – University of Twente
• DOPE Aerospace – Università degli studi di Genova
• endeavour Rankine – University of Edinburgh
• ITU Albatros UAV Team – Istanbul Technical University
• LAGARI UAV TEAM – YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSTY
• Altitude – University of Central Lancashire
• USW – University of South Wales
UAS Challenge website
