First UMS certificate issued to unmanned mine hunting vessel

Lloyd’s Register has issued its first Unmanned Marine Systems (UMS) certification for an autonomous vessel built for mine hunting and sweeping by the British Royal Navy.

Atlas Elektronik produced RNMB Hydra, the UK’s first mine countermeasures USV and its remote, combined-influence minesweeping system (ARCIMS) under the Royal Navy’s mine-hunting capability project.

Lloyd’s Register issued 11-m RNMB Hydra with Grey Boat Code certification in 2024 and the UMS certificate in February 2025.

This vessel complements existing ARCIMS systems including mine sweeping modules, launch and recovery of the SeaCat unmanned underwater vehicle, and towed SideScan sonar deployment.

“Working with Lloyd’s Register to achieve this certification means our users can operate these technologically advanced systems safely and with confidence in their capabilities,” said Atlas Elektronik UK head of the division covering surface-ship systems, Wesley Galliver,

“The benefits of unmanned systems, such as force multiplication, safety of operators and value, in comparison with traditional assets, mean this will be the first of many steps towards an autonomous future.”

Lloyd’s Register’s UMS Code is a process for certifying the design, build and maintenance of remotely controlled and autonomous vessels within a structured framework. It is adaptable and applicable to vessels ranging from small USVs to large ships, and offers a framework for certifying novel technologies, scalable to the system’s size, risk and autonomy level.

Lloyd’s Register developed Grey Boat Code certification for government service vessels under 24 m, such as those used by navies, coast guards and police. Other vessels certified with the Grey Boat Code include RNMB Harrier, RNMB Hussar and RNMB Halycon.