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Robert Dane is an Australian inventor, entrepreneur, and the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ocius Technology, a company that develops long‑endurance uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) for defence, environmental monitoring, and maritime research. He is also known for originating the Solar Sailor hybrid marine propulsion concept, which integrates solar panels with a controllable sail structure.

Robert Dane began his professional career as a medical doctor in Ulladulla before transitioning into engineering and renewable energy innovation. He is known for his longstanding interest in sailing and environmental sustainability, which influenced his later work in maritime technologies. ^[1]

Dane first gained public attention in the late 1990s after developing the Solar Sailor concept, inspired by a solar boat race on Lake Burley Griffin. The design combined photovoltaic panels with an adjustable wing‑sail, enabling both solar‑electric propulsion and wind assistance. A prototype vessel won the following year’s race, leading to the establishment of Solar Sailor Holdings in 1999.

Solar Sailor produced hybrid ferries for commercial operators, including vessels used during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and later in Hong Kong and Shanghai. The company received the Australian Design Award of the Year in 2001. Former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke served as chairman during part of the company’s development. The 2008 global financial crisis significantly affected the business, and Solar Sailor’s commercial activities declined in the following years.

Dane founded Ocius Technology (originally Solar Sailor) in the early 2010s to adapt renewable‑energy marine systems for autonomous maritime platforms. The company began collaborating with the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) and industry partners on persistent surveillance technologies. ^[2]

Ocius’ principal product is the Bluebottle, a 24‑foot uncrewed surface vessel powered by a combination of solar, wind, and wave energy. The platform is designed for long‑duration missions and can carry modular payloads for tasks such as surveillance, hydrography, environmental monitoring, and acoustic sensing. ^[3]

The Bluebottle has been trialled and adopted by several organisations, including:

• The Royal Australian Navy, which has procured multiple vessels for surveillance and research activities. ^[4]
• The Royal New Zealand Navy, which has leased and later purchased units for maritime domain awareness. ^[5]
• U.S. maritime technology companies, including ThayerMahan, for marine mammal monitoring and naval experimentation. ^[6][7]

Ocius has also supported Australian Border Force and other agencies in persistent maritime monitoring operations. ^[8]

Dane’s work has focused on renewable‑energy propulsion and autonomous maritime endurance.

His contributions include:

• Development of hybrid solar‑sail propulsion systems.
• Integration of multi‑source renewable power (solar, wind, wave) into autonomous vessels.
• Advancement of persistent maritime surveillance platforms capable of extended deployments with minimal logistical support.

Dane has received several awards and recognitions for his contributions to maritime innovation, including:

• Spitfire Memorial Defence Fellowship (2017) ^[9]
• Finalist, International Wind Propulsion Innovation Awards (including Lifetime Achievement category)
• Australian Naval Institute McNeil Award (2025) “Robert as the founder and CEO of Ocius is a true innovator – he has dealt with initial scepticism, and now triumphant in providing the Navy with a world leading capability with many opportunities yet to be realised”, said Commodore Melinda Barnes, Vice President of the ANI. “He is a most worthy recipient of the 2025 McNeil Prize. ^[10]

He has also been recognised as an Intel Environment Laureate and a WWF Future Maker. ^[11]