Construction begins on 'world’s first over-the-horizon' USVs

Mr Ratsey said Zero USV had agreed exclusive supply arrangements with Hexagon to provide LD900 GNSS receivers and IMUs, and with RAD Propulsion for RAD 40 electric propulsion systems including RAD batteries.

Oceanus12 was designed as a versatile platform, with a wide range of potential applications including offshore and seabed surveys, asset monitoring, geophysical and hydrographical mapping, border control, fisheries science and defence.

RAD Propulsion chief executive Dan Hook said the RAD 40 electric drive system would include RADBus architecture.

Hexagon vice president of sales and marine operations for the autonomy and positioning division, Richard Turner, said Oceanus12 USVs can “operate in all conditions, totally unmanned, with accurate and reliable positioning for diverse marine applications, even within potentially congested waterways such as offshore wind environments.”

MSubs and MarineAI previously collaborated on the Mayflower 400 project, which completed a successful transatlantic autonomous voyage in 2022.

Plymouth, UK-headquartered MSubs specialises in the design, manufacture, and operation of manned and unmanned vehicles for military and commercial markets.

MarineAI creates cognitive artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance maritime capabilities and its software, GuardianAI, enabled Mayflower to navigate across the Atlantic from the UK to Canada unmanned.

Riviera Maritime Media’s Marine Propulsion Webinar Week, 7-10 May 2024, will assess the viability of ammonia, hydrogen, LNG, methanol, nuclear and biofuels as options to power the world fleet through to 2030 and beyond. Use this link for more information and to register for these webinars