Articles tagged with "maritime-robotics"
200-foot-long unmanned ships with advanced autonomy to be built in US
Two U.S. companies, Hanwha Defense and HavocAI, have partnered to develop 200-foot autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) equipped with advanced collaborative autonomy technology. This collaboration, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding, aims to jointly handle mass production planning, installation, proposal development, and technical aspects under the U.S. government’s Modular Attack Surface Craft solicitation program. Hanwha, the only shipbuilder with an operational U.S. shipyard involved, is considering its Philly Shipyard for production. The partnership is intended to meet the Department of War’s demand for faster, more capable, and cost-effective naval vessels, while also fostering much-needed competition in defense procurement. The alliance builds on a prior strategic relationship and successful technology demonstrations, including an autonomous force protection mission conducted by HavocAI with beyond-line-of-sight command and control from Hanwha’s Geoje shipyard in Korea. HavocAI recently secured $85 million in funding, confirmed sales of multiple vessels
robotautonomous-shipsmaritime-roboticsdefense-technologyadvanced-manufacturingautonomous-surface-vesselsmilitary-roboticsUS firm's uncrewed surface vessel delivers higher naval warfare power
Textron Systems, a Rhode Island-based company, has introduced its Mission Uncrewed Surface Vessel (MMUSV), an advanced unmanned surface vessel designed to enhance the U.S. Navy’s naval warfare capabilities. Building on the proven Common Unmanned Surface Vessel (CUSV) platform, the MMUSV offers twice the fuel and payload capacity—up to 13,000 pounds—along with extended range, higher endurance, survivability in Sea State 5 conditions, and a towing capacity exceeding 4,000 pounds. These improvements position the MMUSV as a versatile, low-cost, and rapidly producible solution suitable for surface combat support roles, including integration with modular weapon systems or non-kinetic payloads. The MMUSV supports a broad range of mission capabilities such as surface warfare, mine countermeasures (MCM), intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and signals intelligence (SIGINT). It aligns with the Navy’s shift toward distributed maritime operations, where unm
robotunmanned-surface-vesselautonomous-systemsnaval-warfaremilitary-technologymaritime-roboticsdefense-technologyFrench firm's 2,300-mile DriX H-9 sea drone lands two new navy deals
French maritime robotics firm Exail Technologies has secured two new contracts for its DriX H-9 autonomous surface vessel (USV), supporting the French Navy and an undisclosed allied navy. The DriX H-9, a 29.5-foot long, 2.1-ton drone capable of operating up to 20 days and covering 2,000 nautical miles, is designed for extended maritime missions such as surveillance, hydrographic surveying, and maritime monitoring. It features low acoustic and radar signatures, station-keeping ability, and supports remotely operated towed vehicle deployment and multibeam echo sounders for deep-sea operations up to 3,000 meters. One contract involves configuring the DriX H-9 for counter-unmanned aerial system (CUAS) missions, integrating third-party sensors to detect and neutralize hostile drones offshore, thus extending drone defense beyond coastlines. The second contract, from the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOM) of the French
robotautonomous-surface-vehiclemaritime-roboticsunmanned-surface-dronenaval-technologymaritime-surveillancehydrographic-surveyingUS firm to build 78-foot wind cargo ship with foldable wind wings
A US-based maritime robotics company, Clippership, has partnered with Dutch shipyard KM Yachtbuilders to build a 78-foot (24-meter) autonomous cargo ship powered primarily by wind. Scheduled for launch in late 2026, the vessel will feature twin foldable rigid wings designed for efficient wind propulsion, allowing it to adapt to varying sea conditions and port operations. The ship will operate under the Maltese flag and is intended for pilot commercial routes across the Atlantic, Caribbean, and South America, carrying up to 75 Euro-pallets in a climate-controlled hold, making it suitable for high-value, low-emission cargo transport. The vessel’s design integrates advanced autonomy software, navigation, propulsion, and decision-making systems developed in-house by Clippership to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable operation with minimal human oversight. Naval architecture is led by Dykstra Naval Architects, known for designing sophisticated sailing vessels, while structural engineering is provided by Seattle-based Glosten. The ship will be built
robotautonomous-shipswind-energymaritime-roboticssustainable-transportenergy-efficiencycargo-shipping3,500-ton attack submarine to get high-tech control module
Exail, a Paris-based company, has commenced production of the sixth advanced steering console for the Republic of Korea Navy’s next-generation diesel-electric attack submarines under the JangBogo III (Dosan Ahn Chang-ho) program. These consoles, integral to submarine navigation and control, are built around Exail’s Opsys integrated computer, which serves as the intelligence core, ensuring precise and reliable operation. Since 2014, Exail has designed, produced, and delivered five such consoles, with the sixth system’s construction starting in 2026 and commissioning planned for 2027. The development of each unit involves nearly two years of multidisciplinary work and includes comprehensive support from integration to onboard commissioning, facilitating long-term knowledge transfer. The steering console is a critical component that unifies navigation, propulsion, and control systems, enhancing mission safety, tactical efficiency, and naval autonomy. Exail’s expertise is underscored by the deployment of 15 pilot stations worldwide, confirming its role as a trusted
robotcontrol-systemssubmarine-technologynaval-defenseautomationintegrated-computingmaritime-roboticsThe algorithms steering the future of maritime navigation
The article "The algorithms steering the future of maritime navigation" outlines the transformative shift in maritime engineering from traditional manual navigation methods to advanced autonomous shipping systems powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and sensor integration. Historically reliant on human crews for navigation and decision-making, modern vessels are increasingly equipped with sophisticated control systems that combine radar, LIDAR, GPS, sonar, cameras, and AI to enable real-time environmental awareness and autonomous decision-making. These systems allow ships to plan routes, avoid obstacles, and adjust operations dynamically, while human supervisors monitor performance remotely and intervene when necessary, especially during emergencies. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) categorizes autonomous ships into four degrees of autonomy, ranging from basic onboard automation (Degree 1) to fully autonomous vessels capable of independent navigation and decision-making (Degree 4). Despite technological advances, most autonomous ships in operation today are semi-autonomous (Degrees 1 and 2), with over 95% market share in 2023, reflecting the current preference for
robotIoTenergyautonomous-shipsmaritime-navigationAI-control-systemssensor-fusionmachine-learningmaritime-roboticsWhile U.S. stalls, Australia and Anduril move to put XL undersea vehicle into service
Australia, in partnership with defense startup Anduril, has successfully transitioned the extra-large uncrewed undersea vehicle (XLUUV) known as the "Ghost Shark" from concept to contract within three years—a milestone the U.S. Navy has struggled to achieve with its own XLUUV programs. Under a AUS$1.7 billion (US$1.1 billion) five-year contract, Australia will deploy a fleet of Ghost Sharks for long-range, stealthy surveillance and strike missions in Indo-Pacific waters starting next year. This contract includes delivery, maintenance, and ongoing development, marking a significant commitment by Australia to rapidly field advanced undersea capabilities amid rising regional tensions with China. The Ghost Shark program exemplifies a new defense procurement model, with Anduril co-developing and co-funding the vehicle alongside Australia, each contributing $50 million. The first prototype was delivered ahead of schedule in April 2024, and production is underway. Unlike the U.S. Navy’s Boeing
robotunmanned-underwater-vehicledefense-technologyautonomous-systemsmaritime-roboticsmilitary-dronesAnduril-Ghost-SharkUS firm unveils 300-horsepower robot boat built to hunt enemy vessels
Scientific Systems, a Massachusetts-based defense technology firm, has unveiled VENOM, a 9-meter, 300-horsepower autonomous surface drone designed for high-speed interdiction, persistent surveillance, and distributed maritime operations. VENOM features a high-density polyethylene hull for durability and low noise, and is powered by an outboard diesel engine enabling speeds over 35 knots, a cruising range exceeding 500 nautical miles at 24 knots, and loitering endurance of 130 hours. These performance metrics surpass US Navy requirements for unmanned interceptors. The drone demonstrated advanced autonomous capabilities during sea trials, including navigation through complex maritime environments, patrolling, and intercepting non-cooperative vessels, supporting missions such as force protection, contested logistics, intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance (ISR), and maritime interdiction. Built as a software-defined system, VENOM integrates AI-driven autonomy developed in partnership with Tideman Marine and Sea Machines Robotics, emphasizing modularity, scalability, affordability, and rapid deployment. It
robotautonomous-vehiclesunmanned-surface-vehiclenaval-technologyAI-autonomyhigh-density-polyethylenemaritime-roboticsSaildrone completes NATO multi-domain demo in Baltic Sea - The Robot Report
Saildrone Inc., a maritime autonomy developer, successfully completed its participation in NATO Task Force X’s multi-domain demonstration in the Baltic Sea, showcasing the capabilities of its Saildrone Voyager uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs). Operating from June 16 to 27, four Voyagers conducted persistent 24/7 wide-area surveillance and real-time maritime domain awareness in the Gulf of Finland and western Baltic Sea, despite challenging conditions including near-gale winds and rough seas. The USVs detected and tracked hundreds of vessels daily, identified exercise “red forces,” and located real-world “dark targets” such as Russian shadow fleet and military vessels. This deployment highlighted the Voyagers’ ability to integrate long-range radar surveillance with rapid-response unmanned maritime assets. The demonstration was part of NATO’s Dynamic Messenger innovation pathway, aiming to enhance NATO’s rapid integration of commercial off-the-shelf autonomous systems while preserving crewed assets for critical missions. Saildrone operates on a contractor-owned and operated model,
robotautonomous-surface-vehiclesmaritime-roboticsAI-sensorsunmanned-systemsNATOmaritime-surveillance