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 […]
Zero USV has launched the extra-long-range (XLR) version of its Oceanus12 USV, which is intended to ramp up the 20 days/2,500nm endurance of the original Oceanus12 to 60+ days/7,500nm+. Zero USV says: “[The XLR Oceanus12] is built for missions in remote areas or regions where access to traditional fuelling points is limited, ensuring that operations […]
Demand for dependable research, survey and intervention vessels is booming, positioning this sector as one of the fastest-growing in the maritime industry. This demand is being driven by numerous factors, including: a surge in offshore wind farm projects, necessitating detailed seabed mapping and environmental impact assessments prior to turbine installations; ongoing exploration needs within the […]
Remote-controlled vessel development was kicked up a notch this year with the January delivery of the 24m-long uncrewed surface vessel (USV) REACH REMOTE 1. The vessel, which is primarily intended for offshore surveys and subsea intervention work, was designed by Kongsberg Maritime and developed in collaboration with offshore engineering services firm Reach Subsea, Kongsberg/Wilhelmsen joint […]
A team-up between boatbuilder/USV manufacturer Tuco Marine and maritime survey tech company EIVA aims to establish an all-in-one autonomous package for subsea asset inspections, matching a Tuco-built ProZero 8m Naval Intelligence USV to EIVA’s ViperFish remotely operated towed vehicle (ROTV). In practice, the USV would sail to an area of interest, towing and remotely launching […]
Offshore and subsea tech developer Unique Group is preparing to launch two new uncrewed surface vessel (USV) types, the Uni-Mini and Uni-Max. Both models have been engineered for surveying operations, and tailored to meet “diverse optional needs across challenging environments”, the group says. Built in carbon fibre, the Uni-Mini measures a compact 1.68m x 0.8m […]
The company says the unmanned vessel ‘demonstrates compelling technical feasibility’ but also needs to be economically viable and be sustainable. UK-based engineering and ship design consultancy BMT has unveiled the design of a Large Uncrewed Surface Vessel (LUSV). The LUSV concept, was unveiled at the Defence and Security Equipment International 2023 (DSEI) exhibition and conference […]
A spate of tests and demonstration projects are being used to advance the introduction into service of a range of uncrewed assets. Potential naval applications of uncrewed surface vessels and of unmanned underwater and above water units continues to proliferate in the US and in Europe as recent developments attest. In July 2023, the Defence […]
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, […]
Unmanned surface and above-water units are changing the nature of naval classification. Novel technologies in the naval defence space, from uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) to advanced offshore patrol vessels (OPV), are changing the game for classification societies, and require a more sophisticated approach to risk assessment and validation than ever, as Lloyd’s Register’s (LR) naval […]