Industry creates robotic team comprising UAS and USV
Marine Advanced Robotics and Planck Aerosystems claim to have created the first ‘multi-domain robotic team’ combining UAS and USV technologies.
Marine Advanced Robotics and Planck Aerosystems have established a new strategic alliance that includes an unmanned Wave Adaptive Modular Vessel (WAM-V) equipped with a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) that operate together for advanced mission profiles.
Previous cooperation between Planck Aerosystems and Marine Advanced Robotics included collaborative multi-domain deployments for USN base security.
Mark Gundersen, CEO of Marine Advanced Robotics, claimed the new sUAS-USV combination, designed to operate together for advanced mission profiles, ‘will enable greater situational awareness for multiple applications’.
Potential uses include maritime security and naval operations in the open ocean as well as offshore infrastructure inspection, the two companies announced on 9 August.
The sUAS is powered by the Autonomous Control Engine from Planck Aerosystems. It can be operated remotely as a push-button capability, which includes autonomous launch and recovery, as well as automatic securing and recharging while not in flight.
Marine Advanced Robotics claims the USV can travel long distances unsupported, even in high sea states, and can host additional sensors above and below the water.
The combined system is currently in trials for early customers. It will be offered to customers in Q4 2021.
More from Naval Warfare
-
VARD and Fincantieri launch Resilience ship family to fill target Norway’s standardised vessel needs
VARD and Fincantieri’s announcement to launch the VARD Resilience series came only weeks after Norway’s new long-term 2025–36 defence plan.
-
BMT and DNV partner to meet Australia’s heavy landing craft requirement
Under Project Land 8710 Phase 2, Australia has been seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels to replace the Balikpapan-class. The programme has an estimated value of AU$1.4 billion (US$910 million), with IOC slated for 2032.
-
Babcock to take over upkeep of Royal Navy Type-23 frigates
The Royal Navy’s Type-23 Duke-class frigates for the UK Royal Navy were designed as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships but now have a multi-role function. Of the 16 Type 23s built, 12 remain in service with the Royal Navy and will be replaced by the Type-26 frigates before 2035.
-
Austal completes autonomy trials with former Royal Australian Navy patrol boat
The work took place under the Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT), which has been a collaboration between Austal, Greenroom Robotics, the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Cooperative Research Centre and the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Warfare Innovation Navy Branch.
-
Singapore launches fourth and final Type 218SG submarine
The era of southeast Asian submarine modernisation has been in full swing fuelled by growing tensions in the South China Sea.
-
Keel laid for third Hellenic Navy frigate as harbour trials start for first
On 24 March 2022, Greece and Naval Group have signed a contract for three defence and intervention (FDI) frigates. Two warships will be due for delivery in 2025 and the third expected the following year, with the deal including an option to add a fourth frigate to be ready in 2027.