UK-based autonomy software developer Marine AI has launched a project in the hope of granting uncrewed vessels the ability to “communicate naturally” with other ships, in the manner of a human operator. The project has received the backing of the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), a branch of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) created […]
The UK is poised to lead in uncrewed surface vessel (USV) development, backed by strong technical expertise and government initiatives like the Ministry of Defence’s NavyX programme. However, regulatory hurdles are stifling progress, says Matthew Ratsey, MD of Plymouth-based Zero USV, one of two key UK USV developers who spoke to The Naval Architect for […]
A £1.4 million UK project is currently trialling the use of new artificial intelligence (AI) control systems for autonomous underwater robots, dedicated to offshore wind farm repairs and maintenance. The project, dubbed Underwater Intervention for Offshore Renewable Energies (UNITE), is an Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) Prosperity Partnership programme, led by Heriot-Watt University, […]
Austal Australia has entered into a strategic commercial partnership with Greenroom Robotics, in which Greenroom will develop new services and technologies for Austal-designed and built patrol boats, with the goal of enabling remote and autonomous operations – thus reducing crewing levels and lowering the risk of harm to human personnel, especially when conducting missions in […]
If the subsea deployment of ROVs, AUVs and UUVs can reduce Opex and emissions, it makes sense that using an uncrewed vessel to launch and recover these drones could boost operational efficiency even further. That’s the rationale behind the design of the Ocean Aurora: a remotely operated ‘drone launchpad’ conceived by offshore survey/inspection services provider […]
Thales Australia says work is underway to develop a masterplan for the company’s Carrington site in order to establish a ‘Maritime Autonomy and SME Collaboration Precinct’ to support the Royal Australian Navy’s Mine Countermeasures and Military Survey Capability SEA1905-1 programme, should Thales be selected to participate in it. For more than 30 years, the Carrington […]
ARES Shipyard’s new ‘suicide commando’, the ULAQ KAMA Expendable USV (XUSV), has been developed to proactively repel hostile threats – or to die trying. The Turkish boatbuilder recently unveiled the prototype of this latest addition to its ULAQ series of armed USVs, which was developed in partnership with Meteksan Defence and launched in December 2020, […]
The Royal Navy is transitioning mine countermeasures capability from ships to unmanned, autonomous units and a distributed, disaggregated force that makes use of networking, autonomy and artificial intelligence. With a series of operational demonstrators already on contract as part of Block 1 of the Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) programme, the Ministry of Defence and UK […]
Autonomous technology meets alt-fuel readiness in SAFE Boats International’s ambitious AHSV Merlin, which has been carefully developed to conjure up cost efficiency on offshore wind farm pre-assessment missions As with offshore wind farm support vessels, it’s not unreasonable to expect research and survey vessels to ‘green up’ their operations. After all, there’s a certain irony […]
D-Marin’s autonomous litter bot promises good riddance to bad rubbish Marina operator D-Marin has recruited an autonomous bot to assist with the removal of floating litter and spilt oil from its marinas in Greece. The Jellyfishbot, developed by French AI and robotics specialist IADYS, comprises a 20kg unit fashioned from polyethylene and aluminium alloy. The […]