The RDC helps transition innovative technologies and provides premier analysis and decision support to enhance operational performance across all Coast Guard missions. During demonstrations scheduled for October off the coast of 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 be returned to the RDC’s New London facility, where it will be used in additional testing to investigate application to various Coast Guard missions.

“As the premier USCG facility performing research, development, test and evaluation in support of the service’s major missions, the RDC team is eager to observe Sea Machines’ system in action,” said USCG’s Derek Meier, assistant demonstration director. “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.”

“Sea Machines is proud to actively support government agencies across a variety of projects and to expand that support to the Department of Homeland Security with this important demonstration being conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard,” said Sea Machines’ Phil Bourque, director, sales. “Our systems are being rapidly adopted by government and commercial operators alike, offering increases in on-water productivity and predictability, while reducing operational risk.”

“Since the launch of our Sharktech Autonomous Vessels division in 2018 we have been working to position Metal Shark for the autonomy revolution,” said Metal Shark’s CEO Chris Allard. “We are committed to the advancement of autonomous technology, through our relationships with leading autonomy suppliers as well as through our own R&D, and we are engaged with multiple customers, from the USCG, the Department of Defense and commercial operators. With this latest delivery, Metal Shark is proud to play a role in the Coast Guard’s autonomous technology R&D efforts.”

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.

About Sea Machines
Headquartered in the global tech hub of Boston and operating globally, Sea Machines is the leader in pioneering autonomous control and advanced perception systems for the marine industries. Founded in 2015, the company builds autonomous vessel software and systems, which increases the safety, efficiency and performance of ships, workboats and commercial vessels. Learn more about Sea Machines at www.sea-machines.com.

# # #

The post Sea Machines and Metal Shark to Supply USCG R&D Center with New Autonomous Vessel appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

• Maintaining a constant presence on the water
• Relief for personnel manning requirements
• Reducing risk to crewmembers
• Reducing fatigue
• Extending mission duration

Click here to read the full Marine Log article, with additional details about the above applications.

For additional information, click here to read Sea Machines’ blog article about the value of autonomous marine technology for patrol operations.

Silver Ships is a Sea Machines builder.

The post Marine Log: The Patrol Boat of the Future is Here appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

Sea Machines has plans to attend the H20 Conference 2019, from June 5 through 7, in Nova Scotia. As a leader in the Blue Tech space, we look forward to meeting with conference attendees representing marine defense, offshore energy, fisheries and aquaculture, marine transportation and other sectors. The event gives Sea Machines the opportunity to hear the needs of these industry leaders and commercial vessel operators, as well as share the latest updates about our autonomous marine technology.

To schedule a one-on-one, B2B meeting with Sea Machines, click here. 

The post Meet with Sea Machines at H2O Conference 2019 appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

MARINE AUTONOMY IS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FOR GOVERNMENT AND MILITARY FLEETS

SEA MACHINES AUTONOMOUS MARINE TECHNOLOGY ENABLES GOVERNMENT AND MILITARY VESSELS TO DO MORE WITH LESS FOR MANY TYPES OF MISSIONS.

 

In this “Marine Autonomy is a Competitive Advantage for Government and Military Fleets” article, learn how Sea Machines products enable surface vessels to do more with less, at reduced risk and cost, for a wide variety of missions. The article also shares the most-common use cases for autonomy, and how it can deliver greater performance when lives, progress and freedom are on the line. 

The post Sea Machines to Connect with Special Ops Forces during SOFIC 2019 appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

Experts say that 2019 will be a year of growth for the global offshore energy industry, a prediction already being proven by the uptick in demand for offshore exploration activities over last year. As the market rebounds, operators will prioritize consolidation and innovation to stay ahead. Those who add innovation to their fleets by way of new, advanced technology have the most to gain. Offshore vessel owner/operators who add marine autonomy to their small-to-medium sized offshore workboats can benefit from increased productivity and predictability, while reducing their overall risk and operational costs as they support many types of offshore projects.

Deep Challenges

No matter the mission, those in the offshore marine space face unique challenges when it comes to ensuring projects are completed on time, within budget and safely. Whether providing support for offshore construction, offshore oil and gas, offshore wind farm installations, hydrographic and seismic survey operations, offshore spill response, aquaculture, sub-sea cable inspections, or any other number of offshore projects, the risks of being at sea hundreds of miles from land are the same.

The most common challenges for those in the offshore marine industry include:

• Productivity fluctuations, due to unpredictable factors such as weather;

• High operational costs; and

• Risk of human error related to execution of “dangerous, dull and dirty” work.

Operators facing these challenges today now have the option of mitigating risk by installing Sea Machines autonomous marine technology aboard small-to-medium sized offshore workboats. (In the near future, similar technology will be available for larger workboats and Offshore Support Vessels [OSVs]). Read on to learn more.

Extract Higher Productivity

Smaller offshore support boats, such as daughter craft, tugboats, patrol craft and crew boats are ideal candidates for boosting productivity via autonomous marine technology. Autonomous vessels can work longer hours, even in periods of low-light or poor visibility, with greater precision and predictability. Unmanned support vessels can operate in very poor and harsh weather conditions that might otherwise compromise tasks and put mariners at risk.

Broad coverage areas or long transits to an offshore site from a mainland aboard offshore commercial boats can be executed autonomously, using dynamic waypoint following capabilities. Computers housed on autonomous workboats execute pre-programmed routes and can adjust direction in fractions of a second without human intervention to maximize efficiency. If an unexpected object, such as another vessel or a buoy, appears in the autonomous boat’s path, an on-board computer (powered by cameras and other sensors) will detect it far sooner than the human eye can, and re-route safely around it before resuming an efficient mission.

High-bollard pull tugboats towing out loaded barges also benefit from dynamic waypoint following, and can be programmed to operate in collaborative following modes. Such capabilities allow tugboats in complex formations to maintain an exact course and speed from the point of departure to the offshore project site, eliminating fatigue and increasing operational predictability.

For marine operators conducting offshore survey missions or offshore seismic support operations, autonomous-command and remote-control capabilities aboard fleets allow more data to be gathered with fewer resources and less time. Manned mother ships paired with smaller unmanned daughter craft can collect data at all hours of the day and night, as un-crewed workboats don’t require stops for low-light conditions, breaks or shift changes. Many unmanned vessels programmed to operate collaboratively can create force-multiplication that maximizes coverage and reduces the time required to collect data.

These capabilities also hold true for offshore spill response and recovery operations, which also utilize predictable patterns that can be optimized by data-driven paths and dynamic waypoint following. Force multiplication, increased operational time, and reduced costs and risks only add to the advantages.

Drill Down Costs

Because autonomous systems integrate seamlessly with common on-board marine electronics – such as AIS, GPS, radar, cameras and sensors – a single remote operator can monitor the live data feeds of unmanned boats in real-time. This is particularly important in reducing the costs of offshore patrol and security boats monitoring high-value sites, such as energy platforms or wind farms.

In instances where payloads are required, a single operator can deploy or activate on-board equipment from another vessel or an on-shore site. Remotely operated payloads for offshore applications can include ROV and UUV deployment, launch stations, cranes, winches, security equipment, cameras, sensors, communications relays, aerial drones and more.

Pairing manned mother vessels with unmanned daughter craft – ideal for offshore surveillance and monitoring, surveying, seismic operations and spill responses – reduces crew expenses significantly and can increase operational periods due to the reduction in stop-work periods related to shift changes, darkness and weather.

Increase Safety

When it comes to offshore marine operations, nothing is more important than safety. Installing autonomous marine technology aboard vessels bolsters mariners with computer vision. Computer vision can process and detect objects sooner than the human eye, even in perfect conditions, and provides a redundant set of eyes for those in the bridge – helping to mitigate fatigue, distraction and poor visibility due to low light or weather.

Dynamic waypoint following further reduces the risks of mariner fatigue and distraction, acting as a modern autopilot that controls variable course and propulsion; as workboats autonomously execute planned paths, with obstacle avoidance enabled as a safety measure. This allows the mariner to focus on higher level tasks and be freed from tedious job of navigation, which is especially demanding in poor sea conditions.

When unmanned surface vessels are deployed, weather is less likely to compromise missions or negatively impact human health. Put simply, sea sickness, injury and dire risks to crews are eliminated.

For offshore jobs in extreme locations, such as in the Arctic, or toxic conditions, such as those that exist during spill incidents, unmanned vessels eliminate the need to expose crews, thus improving overall health and safety. When used in this way, an operator-in-the-loop can program a vessel to collect data or spilled product, deploy payloads and monitor surroundings in real time, all from a safe location.

Accomplish More Offshore, While Reducing Risk and Cost

For operators of small- and medium-sized vessels, such as offshore tugs, patrol boats, spill-response vessels and crew boats, Sea Machines SM series of autonomous-command and remote-control products are available now. Those who take advantage of Sea Machines products will, in most cases, see return on investment realized within a year, thanks to increases in productivity, predictability and efficiency.

There’s no need to build new vessels. The Sea Machines SM300 or SM200 can be added to workboats as a retrofit or as part of new-build specifications, typically requiring only 10 components to install. Most vessels can be outfitted with a Sea Machines system in two days or less. Even for small fleets, the system is surprisingly accessible, thanks to an affordable price point or flexible leasing options.

If you’re ready to increase your fleet’s capability, predictability and productivity, while simultaneously reducing your at-sea risk and operational costs, contact Sea Machines to discuss the options for upgrading your vessels today, using the form below.

[vc_row][vc_column][contact-form-7 id=”2521″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The post Sea Machines Increases the Productivity and Safety of Offshore Vessels appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

Leaders within the government and military are recognizing that autonomous marine technology offers a major competitive advantage for national security and defense; Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR); rescue and relief efforts; and environmental research. At a time when budgets are lean, the ability to operate military and government vessels in autonomous, semi-autonomous and unmanned modes means units can do more with less, at reduced risk and cost, for a wide variety of missions.

The following outlines several of the most-common use cases for autonomy, and how it can deliver greater performance when lives, progress and freedom are on the line.

Defense, Surveillance and Security

For branches charged with defense of people, assets or borders, marine autonomy enables surface vessels to operate with increased productivity, predictability and safety via pre-programmed vessel movements and navigation plans. Autonomous marine technology lets a single, shore-based operator command and control an entire unmanned fleet of vessels and create tactical advantages. These fleets can be programmed to work collaboratively in covering large surveillance areas in less time.

The escorting of ships carrying high-value cargo is also made more efficient and effective, as autonomous security boats can be programmed to match the speed and course of the assets to which they’re assigned.

Offshore and long perimeters can be defended via a fleet of unmanned patrol boats, which don’t require shift changes, stop-work periods or long crew transit times.

Obstacle detection and avoidance capabilities reduce risk of collisions and enable automatic re-routing around a hazard or target before safely resuming the planned course.

Because autonomous marine technology integrates with common situational awareness tools and systems – such as radar, AIS, GPS and non-emitting sensors – autonomous defense vessels can execute missions with little to no human intervention, and with increased situational awareness. Sensor fusion offers advantages in the Identification of Friend or Foe (IFF) because recognized objects are paired with marine traffic data. In the case of an encroaching vessel, this match-up provides a target’s name and flag, speed, course and more to an on-board or on-shore operator, enabling faster classification of the approaching object as safe, suspicious or a threat.

Remote payload control allows an off-site operator command of on-board equipment, such as cameras, cranes, launch stations, weapons and gear, antipiracy tools and more. Remotely operated sensors and cameras can be used to detect aerial, surface-level and sub-sea threats, which are critical for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW); interdictory operations; mine hunting; heat, chemical or nuclear detection; drug and human trafficking prevention; and more. From nearly any location, an operator can access this payload data and engage equipment to safely and successfully complete missions.

For special operations, minimally manned and unmanned marine operations allow for removal of military personnel from potential hostage situations. Unmanned drone boats can serve as diversions, allowing crewed boats to complete missions safely. In extreme cases, antipiracy equipment can be used aboard unmanned surface vessels (USVs), by off-site operators who can remotely control on-board cameras, sensors and security equipment, and can even delete sensitive on-board data and override controls. Ultimately, unmanned vessels can take on the most dangerous and unpleasant work, invaluably protecting the warfighter.

Read more about how autonomous marine technology enables patrol and security workboats.

ISR and Communications

ISR/Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) work is a significant undertaking by the government, and one that demands deep resources. Autonomous surface vessels can now add value by playing a critical role in ocean surveillance systems – which can include reconnaissance satellites, surveillance sub-sea vessels, underwater sensors and maritime patrol aircraft. A vital link to the assets above and below them, unmanned surface boats can be stationed long-term at sea to serve as the gateway of the communication chain that feeds branches critical and encrypted data. Autonomous boats do this much more predictably, cost effectively and without the need to staff a team at sea long-term.

Another challenge USVs can help to solve is energy reserves at sea. Autonomous vessels can be equipped to serve as a “floating battery,” providing enough power to connect stand-off vessels to SATCOMs.

In situations where traditional communications or GPS data has been compromised, unmanned vessels can serve as low-frequency Positioning Navigation and Timing (PNTs), providing situational awareness and stealth to other aerial, surface-level and underwater assets. For scenarios where GPS has been denied or jammed, USVs can act as a pseudo-lite for precision navigation reference.

Rescue and Relief

Autonomous marine assets can support rescue operations, expeditionary logistics and humanitarian relief efforts because they can deliver cargo, ammunition and personnel faster and more cost-effectively. For warfighters who are captured in hostile or remote areas, mission leaders can rapidly deploy unmanned surface vessels in support of their life-saving extractions. Entire fleets can also be programmed to collaboratively execute sweeping patterns to more productively search for downed planes or vessels in water.

Following disasters near coastal areas, an unmanned vessel stationed near shore can provide a signal to restore communications and connectivity. Autonomous surface vessels can also offer medical support by acting as efficient “floating hospitals.” A minimally crewed ship allows more room for medical staff and patients, and operates more predictably and safely.

Research and Environmental Assessments

For marine scientists and researchers, computerized route planning yields greater productivity and increased predictability – major advantages for sectors facing limited resources. Object detection and avoidance ensures data-optimized re-routing in seconds, so exploration can resume faster. Remote payload control means that unmanned research boats can collect more samples and data with greater accuracy and reduced cost. Elimination of on-board personnel when conditions are poor mitigates against missions being compromised by sea-sickness or human injury.

Read more about how autonomous marine technology aids hydrographic survey work.

Maximizing Mission Success, Reducing Effort and Cost

One of the most important advantages marine autonomy offers is its ability help prioritize manpower for the most important actions and decisions. Government and military divisions that capitalize on manned and unmanned teaming for marine operations can maximize productivity predictability and safety, while reducing risk and cost. Additionally, purposeful technology innovation is a critical pursuit for global leaders as they work to stay one step ahead of adversaries.

Sea Machines autonomous-command and remote-control technologies make all of this possible, without the need to build new, costly special-purpose autonomous vessels. Our products can be quickly installed aboard fleets to add an immediate increase in capability, productivity, predictability and safety for all types of government and military marine missions.

Read a list of the top capabilities Sea Machines autonomy adds to fleets here.

Ready to learn more about modernizing a military or government vessel fleet? Contact us:

[ninja_form id=”12″]

The post Marine Autonomy is a Competitive Advantage for Government and Military Fleets appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

Marine Autonomy is a Competitive Advantage for Government and Military Fleets

Sea Machines autonomous marine technology enables government and military vessels to do more with less for many types of missions.

In this “Marine Autonomy is a Competitive Advantage for Government and Military Fleets” article, learn how Sea Machines products enable surface vessels to do more with less, at reduced risk and cost, for a wide variety of missions. The article also shares the most-common use cases for autonomy, and how it can deliver greater performance when lives, progress and freedom are on the line.

The post Meet with Sea Machines at Sea-Air-Space 2019 appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

Here Navtronics’ Tim Greer, president and CEO, shares his rationale for partnering with Sea Machines, what his company offers to customers seeking innovative marine autonomy solutions, and more.

Sea Machines: Describe your company and services.
Greer: Navtronics, of York, Maine, is a marine electronics integration company that has offered commercial and recreational marine customers custom electrical, communication, navigation, entertainment, security and automation system solutions since 2002. Thanks to our headquarters in York, and a second Mid-Coast office located within the Front Street Shipyard, in Belfast, Maine, our primary footprint covers the New England area of the United States, from Cape Cod to the Canadian border. Outside of this region, we can offer support to clients through a widespread service network, which we’ve cultivated with OEMs and other marine partners through the years. We are a forward-looking provider that can sell, install, service and support marine systems and technology solutions.

Sea Machines: What is unique about your company?
Greer: One of the main ways we stand out is through our embrace of new technologies, which we believe helps our customers remain competitive. In this industry, technology moves so fast. If you’re not continually reinventing tech solutions, you’ll fall behind. We’re constantly looking for the “next big thing” to stay a step ahead, which we recognize is one of the reasons our clients choose to work with us.

Sea Machines: Why is offering autonomous marine technology important?
Greer: We predict that the “next big thing” is a boat that drives itself. If you take a look at other industries – automotive, for example – it’s clear that ours is headed in the same direction. It just makes sense. There are so many advantages to marine autonomy, from firefighting and fishing to surveillance. This technology can offer a reduction in operational expenses and it increases safety; it removes people from harm. When you look at fishing, the ability to remotely control, monitor and assist is huge, as is fleet tracking and control for other sectors. When we were looking for the “next big thing,” we knew this was it. This is the future.

Sea Machines: Why did you choose to become one of our dealers?
Greer: For us, partnering with Sea Machines was an intentional decision for many reasons. First, our shared locations in the Northeast is a geographic advantage for our customers. We have the established relationships with local customers in need of this type of technology and Sea Machines allows us to offer innovative products that are proven to improve their capabilities, productivity, bottom lines and safety.  

Sea Machines aligns with all the things we do already and your products are available for installation today. Our customers are primarily commercial and government ones, which are also the sectors Sea Machines supports. There are so many advantages that your systems can add to tugboats, fireboats, ships and government boats. Together we can bring these efficiencies to market. We also see future applications for the recreational side, such as the mega yachts we serve. There is so much opportunity and we look forwarding to moving the industry forward in partnership with Sea Machines.

To learn more about Navtronics, click here or contact the company at +1-207-363-1150.

The post Meet Our Dealer: Navtronics appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

“This series of long-distance demos proved that the technology performs as expected and is available now for use aboard many types of commercial workboats,” said Sea Machines’ Founder and CEO Michael Johnson. “These products are already transporting the marine industry into a new era of task-driven, computer-guided operations, and are bringing advanced autonomy within reach for small and large-scale operators.”

“It was exciting to see this technology demonstrated live to owners and operators in the industry,” said Sea Machines Board Member Todd Busch, also Crowley Maritime Corp.’s senior vice president and general manager, solutions. “Successfully repeating the demos over three days reinforced the reliability and performance capabilities of Sea Machines products. After watching, it was clear to all that these systems are available for installation now and offer an immediate upgrade to marine operations.”

Last month, the company made commercially available the world’s first industrial-grade autonomous and remote-control products purpose-built for workboats. This introductory line of intelligent command and control systems, which include the Sea Machines SM300 and SM200, is ideally suited for the demanding challenges of offshore commercial, scientist and government applications. 

The SM300 provides remote-command, operator-in-the loop autonomy for survey, spill response, dredging and security/surveillance operations. Capabilities include autonomous command, remote control, obstacle avoidance, pre-planned route following and collaborative operations. 

For customers seeking remote-control operability only, the company offers the SM200, with ideal applications aboard fireboats, utility craft, spill-response vessels and others. 

Sea Machines is also developing advanced perception and navigation assistance technology for a range of vessel types, including container ships. Trials for this product have already begun aboard an A.P. Moller-Maersk new-build ship.

About Sea Machines Robotics
Headquartered in the global tech hub of Boston and operating globally, Sea Machines is a leader in pioneering autonomous control and advanced perception systems for the maritime industry. Founded in 2015, the company builds autonomous vessel software and systems, which increases the safety, efficiency and performance of ships, workboats and commercial surface vessels. Learn more about Sea Machines at www.sea-machines.com.

# # #

The post Sea Machines Shows the Future is Here with Live Transcontinental Autonomy Demos appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

Around the world, patrol boats are critical assets for providing coastal security and surveillance. Missions range from border protection and vessel interception/interdiction to providing non-lethal marine security, valuable cargo escorts, super-yacht shadowing, personnel and property protection, aquaculture monitoring and more. In addition to supporting private security efforts, many different types of patrol boats are used within the government and military programs of nearly every nation.

The international demand for these security workboats is predicted to increase nearly two-fold in the coming decade. According to market research company QYResearch, the patrol boat market is expected to grow from $180 million in 2017 to $320 million in 2025. This rapid expansion is in response to increasing regional tensions, peacekeeping operations, conflicting territorial claims and maritime security threats, reports Future Marketing Insights, a provider of market intelligence.

Despite the growing demand for patrol boats internationally, many operators are facing budget constraints – in some cases due to defense spending cuts – that force them to do more with less. Additionally, many countries are faced with difficulties of maintaining trained crews. For these reasons, modernizing existing patrol boats outfitted with autonomous vessel technology creates new opportunities to leverage greater patrol coverage with less force required to manage coastal security zones and assets.

“Autonomy enables the patrol-boat platform to leverage new operational capabilities,” said Sea Machines’ Phil Bourque, director of business development. “It’s exciting technology that will change the way boats are used in the theater of operations. The marine industry has not seen innovation like this in decades.”

Read on to learn about Sea Machines’ mission to relieve the pressure, while helping patrol boat operators maximize performance, reduce risks and lower costs.

Mission 1: Maximize Performance

Incorporating Sea Machines’ autonomous vessel technology aboard existing patrol boats maximizes the performance of recon/surveillance activities by removing the challenges associated with manned watch schedules. Across all industries, manual operations add inefficiencies, risk and cost to operations. From agriculture and transportation to mining and construction, advanced automation and robotics are revolutionizing how planned and routine work is done all over the world.

Installing Sea Machines systems aboard patrol boats reduces manual effort and increases competitiveness with the following on-board features:

• Remote command
• Autonomous control
• Ability to designate target patrol areas
• Pre-set control points and loitering times
• Pre-programmed waypoint following
• Autonomous collaboration between vessels
• Autonomous collision avoidance

For many operators, the ability to modernize an existing patrol fleet instead of building new hulls also offers significant advantages. Sea Machines systems integrate easily with existing propulsion systems and sensors on board, including AIS, radar, forward-looking sonar and others, helping to efficiently increase the effectiveness of surveillance fleets.

Mission 2: Reduce Risks

The company’s next mission involves reducing the risks crews face aboard patrol boats. From preventing piracy, smuggling and acts of terrorism, mariners aboard marine security teams are often, sometimes quite literally, put into the line of fire when identifying and intercepting maritime threats.

To mitigate these inherent risks, a Sea Machines system allows workboats to perform monitoring and surveillance tasks using unmanned or minimally manned operations. Outfitted with gimbled marine camera systems, and EO/IR cameras; marine night vision; marine thermal imaging; sensors; sub-surface monitoring and other sophisticated technologies, unmanned patrol boats can provide real-time intelligence to a shoreside crew via remote feeds. Using the data, a land-based team can then safely decide what further actions are needed by the unmanned surface vessels (USVs).

As the technology continues to develop, the SM300 will incorporate algorithms for “automated vessel recognition” to intelligently identify, classify and report suspicious threats or target vessels.

Mission 3: Lower Costs

One of the highest expenses for any marine operation is the cost of crew. Installing a Sea Machines system aboard patrol boats allows operators to reduce force without sacrificing surveillance quality. With the ability for shoreside or mothership operators to remotely monitor and control patrol boats, there are new possibilities in maintaining defensive presence in target areas without high crewing costs.

Adding to crewing costs are shift changes required for traditionally crewed craft. Unmanned surface vessels (USVs) reduce these costs thanks to their ability to work 24/7 and because they eliminate the need to shuttle personnel back and forth from a shift change location. Eliminating such stop-work periods can yield a 150-percent gain in operational efficiency, significantly reduced crew risks, and improved accuracy and tracking capabilities.

Conclusion

From maximizing operations and lowering risk to reducing operational costs, it’s clear that both nearshore and offshore patrol vessel operations can benefit greatly from autonomous vessel technology. The technology can be added to existing assets as a retrofit or as part of new-build specifications, typically requiring only 10 components to install. Most vessels can be outfitted with a Sea Machines system in just a couple days.

Even for small patrol fleets, the system is surprisingly accessible, thanks to an affordable price point or flexible leasing options.

As the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, the Royal Navy and other international marine protection agencies adopt “drone boat” technology, it’s not a matter of if autonomous marine systems will be standard fare for patrol operations, it’s a matter of when. Sea Machines is one of the leaders charting the path for autonomous systems for the marine industry. If you’re ready to modernize your marine patrol operations, contact us today.

Contact Us

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The post Autonomous Tech Maximizes Patrol Boat Ops, with Reduced Risk and Cost appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.