The US Coast Guard will soon acquire a new autonomous vessel for testing and evaluating the capabilities of available autonomous vessel technology, as part of its regulatory changes for the development of autonomous maritime systems.
Boston-based Sea Machines Robotics announced it has partnered with Louisiana-based shipbuilder Metal Shark Boats, to supply the USCG’s Research and Development Center (RDC) with a new Sharktech 29 Defiant vessel.
The 29-foot, welded-aluminum monohull pilothouse vessel features autonomous-command and remote-helm control technology, offering the USCG the capabilities of transit autonomy, collaborative autonomy, collision avoidance and remote vessel monitoring.
During demonstrations scheduled for October off Hawaii, the RDC team will test and evaluate the Sharktech vessel’s autonomous capabilities for their potential in supporting USCG surveillance, interdiction, patrol and other missions.
Following the Hawaii demonstrations, the autonomous vessel will return to the RDC’s New London facility, where it will be used in additional testing to investigate application to various Coast Guard missions.
The exercises will ultimately help us determine how, when, and if this innovative technology can be used to support personnel who are executing a variety of Coast Guard activities,
…said USCG’s Derek Meier, assistant demonstration director.
In 2019, Sea Machines partnered with Metal Shark to make available the Sharktech 29 Defiant vessel to commercial markets, under Metal Shark’s stock boat program.
Most recently, in July, Sea Machines partnered with Huntington Ingalls Industries to accelerate the deployment of self-piloting technologies in the rising market of unmanned naval boats and ships.
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