Hosted by the Creative Defense Foundation in collaboration with AUVSI, the event convened senior Department of Defense leadership, acquisition executives, Congressional defense appropriators, and industry leaders to evaluate mature, deployable technologies shaping the future of American defense capability. 

Sea Machines’ role formed part of a multi-domain vignette integrating eight advanced autonomy and sensing companies into a unified mission narrative spanning land, air, and sea. 

A Live Indo-Pacific Autonomy Demonstration 

Within that broader scenario, Sea Machines executed a live distributed maritime operation connecting a forward-deployed unmanned surface vessel in the Philippines with operators in La Quinta trailing and prosecuting a suspicious contact outside Subic Bay, while stakeholders observed live in California. 

From within the United States, operators coordinated command of the vessel in real time as mission control was transitioned between ground stations in La Quinta, CA and Subic Bay. The SM300 software is also capable of “intercept” behavior, whereby operators can command the vessel to autonomously calculate and execute a converging course against a moving contact, dynamically adapting to target maneuvering and surrounding maritime traffic while maintaining collision avoidance and navigational compliance. 

Drop in Autonomy Kits  

The Sea Machines solution showcased is operationally ready and actively available for deployment. Designed and engineered by Sea Machines, the drop in autonomy kit provides end users a rapid capability to convert existing boats with Sea Machines tech within 10-20 hours. The pre-rigged kits reduce field engineering requirements.

The demonstration highlighted: 

• Secure remote supervisory control across long-distance links 

• Objective-based mission execution rather than direct teleoperation 

• Real-time perception, navigation, and collision avoidance 

• Immediate re-tasking with dynamic route recalculation 

• Scalable control of distributed unmanned maritime assets 

Why It Matters 

Operational vignettes such as those executed at Disruptors in the Desert provide government stakeholders with direct exposure to live systems operating within realistic mission contexts. These are not conceptual briefings. They are demonstrations of integrated capability under operational narrative. 

By controlling a forward-deployed vessel in the Indo-Pacific from within the United States, Sea Machines demonstrated a scalable model for distributed maritime operations. This approach expands operational reach, reduces risk to crewed platforms, and enables persistent presence without proportional manpower growth. 

As global maritime competition intensifies, American advantage depends on fielded, interoperable systems that are ready to deploy and scale. The autonomy demonstrated in La Quinta reflects a mature, operational capability engineered to support U.S. and allied maritime missions wherever distributed unmanned presence is required. 

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Carved from the shipbuilding space in 2015, Sea Machines Robotics has spent the past decade developing and deploying the world’s leading marine autonomy across fleets operating on most oceans. Over that period, the company has invested more than $55 million in venture-backed capital to develop, field, and harden a fully integrated autonomy stack. This investment addressed one of the most technically complex challenge of unmanned surface vessels such as Modular Attack Surface Combatant (MASC): reliable software–hardware integration at scale. Having completed the difficult work up front, Sea Machines is now positioned to rapidly integrate mature, field-proven autonomy into purpose-built autonomous platforms. Today, the company applies its deep shipbuilding roots to deliver a purpose-built autonomous surface ship engineered for modern naval operations. 

Introducing the STEAMRACER-class autonomous surface ship, purpose-built to meet the Navy’s immediate and future fleet requirements for fully unmanned maritime operations. Designed around our hardened, AI-enabled remote command architecture, the platform delivers high speed, extended endurance, modular open-deck payload capacity, and a secure onboard data environment to support distributed operations at scale. 

While engineered from inception for persistent unmanned execution, STEAMRACER retains the flexibility to operate in a limited, short-duration manned configuration when mission requirements dictate – providing operational flexibility without compromising its unmanned-first design. 

Florida-forged, STEAMRACER integrates mature autonomy with proven U.S. shipbuilding capacity through partnerships with St. Johns Ship Building, TOTE Services, Ring Power, Incat Crowther, and EMI-W&O reinforcing the President’s Executive Order to restore American maritime dominance and strengthen the domestic industrial base. To meet the Navy’s resilient and robust communications standards, Sierra Nevada Corporation will provide its Maritime Advanced Secure Transmission (MAST) solution, an open, scalable architecture backed by proven secure communications and cybersecurity expertise.

Aligned with Navy leadership’s call to expand MUSV production, accelerate the scaling of unmanned capability, and rapidly field maritime robotic and autonomous systems, STEAMRACER delivers a ready-now, America-First solution. The defining attribute: PROVEN capability. STEAMRACER provides validated unmanned-first capability that is operationally tested, industrially grounded, strategically aligned, and prepared to scale at the pace required for the Indo-Pacific fight. 

In an era defined by America’s pacing-threat competition with China, our Nation and our Navy cannot afford protracted development programs that delay transition, escalate cost, and fail to field capability. The strategic environment demands operational mass, speed, and scale, not prolonged development without delivery. Others prototype. We deliver proven autonomy at the pace required for deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, or wherever in the world it will be needed. 

Sea Machines stands ready. 

The post STEAMRACER-Class Autonomous Ship Advances in Major U.S. Navy MASC Program appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

Sea Machines now offers two SMLink APIs that support a full spectrum of missions:

• SMLink Streaming-API delivers real-time vessel telemetry and data feeds to external systems.
• SMLink Control-API grants select partners the ability to command SM300 autonomy functions directly from third-party mission software.

“We’ve been listening to end-user customers and military procurement program offices globally, and we are pleased to continue to contribute to building a customer-first product and company. While our product has always had an open architecture, we’re now providing the keys for others to integrate. We hereby invite and challenge others to collaborate and build with us.” — Phil Bourque, VP of Global Sales, Sea Machines

The SMLink APIs are available with both updated SM300 models: the SM300-SP, tailored for fast, attritable USVs and programs prioritizing volume and efficiency, and the SM300-NG, built for complex, high-specification projects aboard classed vessels.

With more than 200 SM300 deliveries across 20 countries, Sea Machines has established itself as a proven leader in defense-ready marine autonomy. The SM300 is a software enabled edge computing system that fuses with mission management tools while delivering both low-level vessel control and higher-order autonomous behaviors, even in GPS or communications-denied environments.

Headquartered in the United States with offices in Europe, Sea Machines supports naval and defense customers worldwide.

About Sea Machines Robotics

Based in the tech hub of Boston with a global presence, Sea Machines Robotics, Inc. builds autonomous vessel software and systems that increase the performance, capability, and efficiency of naval and commercial vessels. Learn more at www.sea-machines.com

Contact: Phil Bourque, VP of Global Sales, pbourque@sea-machines.com

Download press release here.

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SM300-SP is a special purpose hardware version of Sea Machines’ autonomy systems, built for the emerging fleets of attritable sUSVs and for those not requiring Classed-approved hardware.

SM300-NG is a new generation autonomy system that provides 200% more computing power in a smaller size form-factor.  The SM300NG continues Sea Machines’ commitment to Class-approved marine products and is available in both digital-only and digital plus analog I/O variants.

SMLink Stream/Control-APIs are two new APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) now available to allow authorized third parties to stream data from SM300 platforms, as well as control the autonomy system.  These APIs further Sea Machines commitment to open architecture and system interoperability.

FLEETVIEWER is an online fleet visualization platform that enables an easy way to view, capture, and use real-time vessel-born data, including streaming imagery.

STORMRUNNER USV is an all-new 8-meter length HDPE unmanned surface vessel, designed to deliver high-performance and high reliability on water for defense customers. STORMRUNNER has a 40-knot top speed and gives over 500 nautical miles of range carrying 1,100 lbs of payload.  Equipped with the SM300-SP and fully integrated with sensors and communications, STORMRUNNER is Sea Machines’ second USV design, following on the 7-meter “SELKIE.”

Since 2017, Sea Machines has focused on building the most advanced maritime autonomy for both naval and commercial vessels. “Sea Machines was built around commercial market needs, which simply put, means that the products must deliver immense value and reliability.  This fits perfectly with Government customers who are increasingly demanding deployable, proven systems.  The SM300 is now operating within broad fleets of unmanned naval boats, and these operators benefit by having a hardened autonomy foundation that also enables rapid development on requirements that emerge from the quickly evolving threat environments.”  Said Founder and CTO Michael Johnson.

CEO Chip Wasson said, “We are delighted to introduce these new products that provide true asymmetric advantage for US and allied fleets. Our mission has been to deliver superior naval and maritime technologies to those who protect, defend and work on water. Our team has worked relentlessly to deliver on this commitment with these new products.”

About Sea Machines Robotics
Based in the tech hub of Boston with a global presence, Sea Machines Robotics, Inc. builds autonomous vessel software and systems that increase the performance, capability, and efficiency of naval and commercial vessels.  Their flagship product, the SM300, is a time-perfected edge computing autonomy system that has earned the respect of this fast-growing global market of unmanned boats and autonomy-enabled ships. Learn more at www.sea-machines.com

Contact: Phil Bourque, VP of Global Sales, pbourque@sea-machines.com

Download press release here.

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Sea Machines delivers the core autonomy layer that enables precise navigation, real-time obstacle avoidance, and seamless integration with cooperative mission frameworks like Scientific Systems’ Collaborative Mission Autonomy. By leveraging the Sea Machines open architecture and software APIs, VENOM gains the ability to operate in teams, adapt to changing conditions, and maximize the ability to operate in contested environments with limited risk.

As the premier autonomy provider for uncrewed surface vehicle manufacturers, Sea Machines offers a commercial solution that is ready for serial production of over 100x units per month and is integration-friendly. Our modular approach to vessel interfacing provides a proven foundation for builders and integrators alike—accelerating development, enabling mission readiness, and reducing time to deployment.

We’re proud to support the VENOM USV and welcome domestic and international collaborations with teams building bold new capabilities at sea.

Contacts us at sales@sea-machines for more.

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The ALPV, also known as the Sea Specter, is a 65-foot (19.75-meter) semi-submersible unmanned surface vessel (USV) engineered for stealth logistics operations. Drawing design inspiration from low-profile, narcotics-smuggling craft, the ALPV offers extremely low visual, radar, and infrared signatures, making it an ideal platform for contested maritime zones. The vessel’s form factor and semi-submersibility enable discreet transport of high-value payloads with minimal detectability.

The vessel can carry between 2,000 and 4,627 kilograms of cargo over distances up to 2,200 nautical miles (4,074 km) at a cruising speed of 14.8 km/h, powered by a 230-horsepower Cummins diesel engine. The internal payload compartment spans 8.84 m in length, offering substantial volume for military resupply or mission equipment.

Sea Machines was selected following evaluation as the supplier of autonomous command and control capabilities for the ALPV, via our SM300 Autonomous Command and Control system. This system enables long-range, line-of-sight and over-the-horizon remote operations, autonomous navigation, collision avoidance, and situational awareness in contested environments. These capabilities are essential for a vessel intended to operate far from support in communications denied environments or high-risk maritime zones.

The ALPV has undergone extensive field testing since 2023, evaluated in Project Convergence Capstone 4, a major joint and multinational exercise hosted by the U.S. Army. 

Sea Machines is proud to contribute proven autonomy solutions to this advanced platform and remains committed to supporting the U.S. Marine Corps’ evolving needs for operational resilience, logistics reach, and unmanned capability in peer-contested domains. For more information about the SM300 Autonomous Command and Control system, visit: https://sea-machines.com/products/sm300-autonomous-command-control/

Contact:
Phil Bourque, VP of Global Sales
pbourque@sea-machines.com

The post Sea Machines Provides Autonomy for U.S. Marine Corps’ Autonomous Low-Profile Vessel (ALPV) Program appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

Looking to expand the capability of their survey fleet and overcome accessibility challenges, Measurement Sciences Inc. (MSI) decided to equip their 3-meter RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) with Sea Machines’ SM300 Autonomous Command and Control system.

This enhancement enables MSI to reduce personnel count on hydrographic survey operations by 60% and allows the vessel to access areas considered unsafe for manned vessels.

ABOUT MEASUREMENT SCIENCES INC.

Measurement Sciences Inc. (MSI), founded in 2005 and based in Calgary, specializes in professional engineering and surveying. The company employs advanced technology to serve a diverse range of clients, including oil and gas pipeline companies, land developers, power generation firms, engineering and construction companies, as well as local municipalities and provincial governments.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Safety is a primary concern for MSI, especially when dealing with hazardous water environments such as hydroelectric dams, flood conditions, debris, swift water, toxic bodies of water, and more. Traversing these waters often requires multiple permits, consuming both time and money, and still puts personnel at risk.

In this case study, MSI conducted pipe coverage surveys at four different locations. Due to the high flow events during the surveys, using manned vessels would have been unsafe. Therefore, at the request of their customers, manned craft were not used.

SOLUTION

By converting the RIB into an autonomous vessel using the SM300 system, MSI can remotely command the autonomous boat from shore or do manual remote control. This setup eliminates the need for humans on board while still enabling the collection of survey data in the necessary areas.

WHY CHOOSE THE SM300?

Robust and reliable autonomy aside, the SM300 can be retrofitted to vessels of any size. This provided MSI the flexibility to choose a vessel that was both nimble and capable of withstanding high flow conditions, as well as accommodating the additional weight of the onboard sensors.

This is a significant advantage over many USVs available on the market, which often do not perfectly match specific needs—being either too small to handle strong currents and payloads, or too large to navigate smaller waterways.

IMPLEMENTATION

Installation

The SM300 system was installed on the RHIB, including all necessary sensors and control modules

Calibration and Testing

Extensive calibration and testing were conducted to ensure the system’s accuracy and reliability.

Training

MSI’s operators received training on using the SM300 system, focusing on remote operation using the wearable Wireless Remote Helm

AUTONOMY TAKES YOU BEYOND REMOTE CONTROL

The SM300 system not only supports remote command from shore but also offers a range of advanced autonomy features specifically designed for survey operations.

Full Autonomous Operation

Plot waypoints from the SM300 user interface or import missions from hypack or Qinsy to execute survey projects from start to finish without human intervention.

Tight & Productive Surveys

High performance control from acute position sampling to fine rudder and speed modulation provides very tight cross track error and minimizing holidays, greatly surpassing the average manual operations, increasing job productivity and efficiency.

Collaborative Autonomy

Enabling multiple simultaneous survey vessels for an expanded swath of data collection to increase productivity multi-fold.

RESULTS

Cost Savings

By eliminating the need for personnel on both the survey and rescue crafts in high-flow environments, MSI achieved a 60% reduction in required staff.

Additionally, the consolidation of operations into a single vessel instead of two (a survey craft and a secondary stand-by rescue craft) led to significant time and fuel savings.

Increased Safety

Removing humans from the physical survey location eliminates potential risks associated with being on the water.

Operators can safely manage the survey operations from shore, significantly enhancing safety.

Enhanced Accessibility

With an unmanned craft, MSI can access waterways with fewer permits related to human safety regulations, saving time and effort.

The smaller RIB can be launched from a simple ramp or shoreline, unlike traditional vessels that need a proper boat ramp, often situated far from the survey area. This reduces transit time and streamlines logistics.

Time Savings

Remote operation eliminates the need for operational downtime due to breaks, meals, and other interruptions.

The unmanned vessel can remain on station continuously, maximizing survey time and efficiency. Deployment times are also reduced, with the smaller vessel being easier to transport and launch.

CONCLUSION

The integration of the SM300 Autonomous Command and Control system into MSI’s survey fleet has significantly enhanced their operations by decreasing costs and increasing safety.

Retrofitting the system onto an existing vessel tailored to specific job requirements allows MSI to enhance operational efficiency without compromising quality.

Looking ahead, MSI anticipates that the transition from manned to unmanned vessels will be a beneficial and inevitable evolution, as they plan to expand their autonomous fleet.

For more information on the SM300 Autonomous Command and Control system, view our product page here or contact our sales team at sales@sea-machines.com

Watch the video version here, or view the Case Study PDF here.

The post Enhancing Hydrographic Survey with Autonomous Vessels appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

Amsterdam-based survey company Deep B.V. recently upgraded vessel operations with a Sea Machines Robotics autonomous command and remote-helm control system installed aboard its Loeve hydrographic survey vessel, which is now operating autonomously in multiple areas of the challenging Wadden Sea.

With no surveyors on board the vessel for this project, Deep operators are commanding and controlling the autonomous vessel and all on-board payloads (including survey sonars, hydrophones, winches, cranes and davits) from Deep’s shoreside Survey Control Room, which can facilitate several multi-beam surveys simultaneously. Deep is transferring all collected data from the vessel to the control room via 4G and satellite connection. The combination of Sea Machines’ technology and the Survey Control Room will enable Deep to transition from minimally manned missions to unmanned missions in the near future.

In this free webinar, Deep’s CEO Jurgen Beerens and Sea Machines’ Frank Relou, European business development manager, will discuss the benefits of and considerations for autonomous-command and wireless remote-helm control systems aboard survey vessels. A live Q&A session will follow.

Webinar registration is no longer available. Click here to view the archived webinar.

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(HOUSTON; January 25, 2021) – DEA Marine Services, a division of David Evans and Associates, Inc. (DEA), in Vancouver, Wash., is leveraging a Sea Machines Robotics SM300 autonomous-command and remote-helm control system to fulfill a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) contract that is now surveying more than 3,500 nautical miles of the Western Galveston Bay, near the Houston Ship Channel. The SM300 has been installed aboard the DEA survey boat Sigsbee, which is serving as an autonomous daughter craft for the project. Sigsbee is effectively doubling coverage by operating without an onboard crew, while collaboratively following another DEA-staffed hydrographic survey vessel, which serves as the mothership. The goal is to cover the Bay’s large and shallow survey areas more efficiently than traditional, crewed survey vessel operations. DEA operators located aboard the mothership are commanding the autonomous Sigsbee as it conducts survey missions seven days per week, effectively doubling the conventional productivity of this type of survey.

A view from the bridge of the mothership: An on-board operator commands and controls daughter craft Sigsbee (shown) using the Sea Machines SM300 as it autonomously surveys 3,500 miles of the Western Galveston Bay. Photo credit: DEA

Sea Machines’ technology and DEA’s technical advancements enhance the value of vessel operations by:

• Increasing productivity with collaborative autonomy for force-multiplication;
• Shifting recurring and repetitive operations from manual to autonomous, which enables personnel to focus on higher-level tasks;
• Interfacing autonomous navigation systems with survey software, including Hypack, enabling direct communication and optimizing the combined capabilities of both platforms;
• Improving vessel-tracking precision over planned lines to reduce cross-track error and excessive data overlap.

“Deploying the SM300 system for this mission is allowing DEA to conduct marine surveys with improved predictability, speed of data collection and at-sea safety,” said Sea Machines’ Phil Bourque, director, sales. “The integration with systems like Hypack are streamlining operations for surveyors and demonstrating our commitment to being a best-in-class technology provider. Sea Machines is pleased to to support DEA and NOAA during this critical mission and others like it in the future.”

“DEA is committed to the advancement of technology and being on the leading edge,” said DEA Marine Services’ Jon Dasler, PE, PLS, CH; senior vice president and director. “We see autonomy as the future of hydrography and have enjoyed working with Sea Machines and additional software vendors for continued improvements in autonomous operations and the use of artificial intelligence in data processing.”

In May 2020, Sea Machines announced that Deep BV, of the Netherlands, would upgrade operations with the SM300 to conduct unmanned hydrographic surveys. Deep’s vessel, operating in multiple areas of the Wadden Sea, has been regularly commanded and controlled by personnel situated in the Amsterdam office.

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 passenger vessels. Learn more about Sea Machines at www.sea-machines.com.

About David Evans and Associates, Inc.
David Evans and Associates, Inc. (DEA) is an employee-owned, multidisciplinary consulting firm headquartered in Portland, Ore. DEA’s Marine Services Division was established in 1989 and is a recognized industry leader in accurate, high-precision hydrographic surveys, marine geophysical surveys, oceanographic monitoring services, and geospatial data analysis for navigational, environmental, engineering, and scientific applications. Learn more about DEA Marine Services at www.deamarine.com.

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According to a USCG press release, the purpose of the testing was to examine “the operational utility of the [unmanned surface vessel] USV, including feasibility, costs and benefits. While potentially applicable to many Coast Guard missions, there is potential these technologies will help enable the Coast Guard to better protect critical natural living marine resources from Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated [IUU] fishing and other illicit activities.”

Whereas the other two USV systems in the demonstration were contractor-owned and -operated, the RDC purchased the Sharktech 29’ Defiant vessel in an effort to learn more about autonomous command and remote control, USV maintenance and current constraints through hands-on operations with actual Coast Guard operators. The welded-aluminum monohull pilothouse vessel arrived in Hawaii prior to the event equipped with the Sea Machines SM300 autonomous-command and remote-helm control system.

RDC crew boarded the vessel and operated Sea Machines’ SM300 autonomous-command system in real time on the water. Planned exercises included transit and grid autonomy missions, as well as an observance of the system’s obstacle detection and collision avoidance feature. Operators saw how Sea Machines executes with human-like behavior, intelligently factoring in environmental and sea conditions, and the system’s ability to autonomously change speeds between waypoints. Especially important to the USCG, Sea Machines enables optionally manned or autonomous-assist (reduced crew) modes that can reduce mission delays and maximize effort — a critical feature for time-sensitive operations, such as on-water search-and-rescues or other urgent missions.

USCG operators also donned Sea Machines’ wireless beltpack and remote-commanded the autonomous vessel from both inside the wheelhouse and from the shore. This exercise also allowed the test crew to use the beltpack controls to engage on-board payloads, including vessel sensors and other equipment. Sea Machines’ commercial wireless helm control system can be operated from a distance of one kilometer.

Sea Machines’ Chris Spagna, marine controls engineer (shown above), supported the demonstrations on-site. In observance of the event, he said: “We introduced a lot of new users to the SM300 during the demo week. It was rewarding and fun to watch their reactions to driving a boat via remote control or from their office.”

While Sea Machines has bid aloha to Hawaii, it’s clear that our work with the USCG will continue. Following the event, the Sharktech autonomous vessel was returned to the RDC’s New London facility for additional testing. The RDC will soon publish a report with recommendations for potential future actions for the Coast Guard.

Sea Machines appreciates the opportunity to participate in this important demonstration.

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[dt_highlight color=”” text_color=”” bg_color=””][/dt_highlight]Remote command stations explained

Remote command stations are workspaces equipped with several connected monitors and a reliable network connection, as shown above. From a shoreside location or a second vessel, operators can remotely command and control autonomous vessels with full situational awareness, thanks to live cameras and real-time data from AIS, GPS, radar and other equipment.

In this technology update, Sea Machines explains how remote command stations are solving some of the most persistent challenges on the water.

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CHALLENGE 1: Limited visibility into vessel operations from shore

SOLUTION: 24/7 Remote vessel monitoring

Remote command stations enable operators to monitor the operations and progress of working autonomous vessels in real time, anywhere there is a network connection. This “on-watch redundancy” can help to prevent operational incidents and keep crews safer. From these stations, human operators can command fleets of minimally manned or unmanned vessels with greater efficiency and reduced operational cost.

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CHALLENGE 2: Human exposure to toxins and challenging sea states

SOLUTION: Minimally manned or unmanned operations

Especially important in hazardous, toxic or dangerous work environments, remote-helm control increases safety by eliminating or reducing the need for humans to be on board vessels. Crew can be relocated to safer remote workstations to support on-water missions. Minimally manned and unmanned autonomous vessels can also reduce the resources required, helping to limit operational costs.

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CHALLENGE 3: Time-consuming and dangerous at-sea shift changes

SOLUTION: Remote crews require fewer stop-work periods

Remotely operated, reduced-crew vessels do not require as many operational interruptions for shift changes and breaks. This is especially important in poor sea and weather conditions, and through periods of low light or visibility. From a safer remote location, crews can drastically increase production and, in some cases, continue missions 24/7.

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CHALLENGE 4: Highly manual operations

SOLUTION: Technology that automates operations

Sea Machines systems automate tedious, redundant and dangerous tasks, and allow crew to focus on higher-level operations. From remote command stations, operators can program vessels to autonomously deploy routes and workboats can be commanded to follow paths in unmanned or reduced-crew modes. Automated obstacle detection and collision avoidance capabilities reduce risk further.

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[dt_highlight color=”” text_color=”” bg_color=””][/dt_highlight]Contact Us

For operators workboats and other commercial vessels, Sea Machines autonomous-command and remote-control systems are available now. 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. In most cases, customers see return on investment realized within a year.

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 via the form below.

The post Understanding the Value of Remote Command Stations for Autonomous Vessels appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

Under this OT agreement, Sea Machines will engineer, build and demonstrate ready-to-deploy system kits that enable autonomous, self-propelled operation of opportunistically available barges to land and replenish military aircraft. The kits will include Sea Machines’ SM300 autonomous-command and control systems, barge propulsion, sensing, positioning, communications and refueling equipment, as well as items required for global deployment. Each modular kit will meet U.S. Navy criteria and will be in compliance with classifications and regulations from the DOD’s aviation bodies.

The contract includes a concept demonstration phase, with an option for following phases to deploy SM300 Operational Kits. The live concept demonstration is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2020, in Washington state, for which Sea Machines has teamed with FOSS Maritime, a leading maritime transportation and logistics provider based in Seattle. FOSS will provide naval architecture, support engineering and operations management to outfit a remotely commanded deck barge to land helicopters and host a scaled fueling station for aircraft, surface vessels and shore replenishment. Using the SM300, shoreside operators will have remote situational awareness and will be able to demonstrate the capabilities of remote command and control of the vessel, her operating systems and flight deck.

Sea Machines is the prime contractor for the multi-year contract and is working closely alongside FOSS Maritime and other significant industry leaders, including Huntington Ingalls, America’s largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services, based in Newport News, Va., and Bell Flight, a producer of commercial and military, vertical-lift aircraft, based in Fort Worth, Texas, to ensure a successful demonstration.

“The AMPP autonomous replenishment systems will solve critical logistics challenges of expeditionary missions. We are pleased to enable this innovative capability, which will increase the effectiveness and flexibility for the U.S. military,” said Sea Machines’ Phil Bourque, director, sales. “With Sea Machines systems already working off the waters of four continents, this project is well suited for us and one that we look forward to delivering on for the U.S. Government.”

“Foss is excited about this new opportunity with Sea Machines. This contract has led to discussions with Sea Machines in a number of other areas where their expertise can help Foss, including bringing more technology to our tug fleet. What they are doing in automation is very interesting and that technology could help our mariners and our vessels safety,” said Foss’ Will Roberts, chief operating officer.

DIU’s work is part of the DOD’s Resilient Expeditionary Agile Littoral Logistics (REALL) Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) project. Funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense Research & Engineering, the JCTD Program addresses Combatant Command (CCMD) and Joint warfighting gaps through prototyping and demonstration of innovative and game-changing technologies. The following offices are involved with defining performance requirements and developing capabilities for REALL: U.S. Central Command, U.S. Transportation Command, U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Army Engineer Research and Development Center, and the Naval Aviation Warfare Center – Lakehurst.

About Sea Machines
Headquartered in the global tech hub of Boston and operating globally, Sea Machines is the leader in pioneering autonomous command and 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 passenger vessels. Learn more about Sea Machines at www.sea-machines.com.

About FOSS Maritime
Foss is a full-service maritime company focused on solving customers’ toughest marine transportation and logistical challenges—close to home and in some of the harshest environments in the world. Along with its subsidiaries and sister companies we have the expertise to support any industry requiring marine transportation services, project management or logistics, helping to handle all of the details from one-time ship assist jobs in local harbors to major multi-year projects across the globe.

About Huntington Ingalls
Huntington Ingalls Industries is America’s largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. For more than a century, HII’s Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. HII’s Technical Solutions division supports national security missions around the globe with unmanned systems, defense and federal solutions, nuclear and environmental services, and fleet sustainment. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII employs more than 42,000 people operating both domestically and internationally. For more information, visit www.huntingtoningalls.com.

About Bell Flight
Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas – as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc. Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.

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GCaptain published an article highlighting the huge growth the autonomous marine technology market is experiencing as a result of COVID-19. Key points include:

• While the maritime world struggles with COVID-19, one industry segment continues to grow at a rapid pace: Marine Autonomy. With companies like the MIT startup, Blksail completing autonomous trials remotely, autonomous inland shipping companies like ZULU Associates preparing to enter the New York market, and larger scaleups like Sea Machines closing large strategic investment deals, the rapid growth of autonomous solution providers is impressive.

• The U.S. Navy and the NOAA has also made rapid progress in vessel autonomy by signing a new agreement to jointly expand the development and operations of unmanned maritime systems in the nation’s coastal and world’s ocean waters.

• One reason for the growth in autonomous solutions is a large number of mariners unable to sign off ships because of COVID-19 travel restrictions. While smarter ships might help with these problems, many of the deals we are seeing today are not positioned to replace commercial mariners.

In summary, the article states: It is unclear how the broader industry will perform in the post-coronavirus world but it is clear that marine autonomy will play a large and critically important role.

Read the full story here.

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As the Navy continues its pursuit of unmanned vehicles, Huntington Ingalls Industries hopes to harness its experience building the service’s largest platforms to expand naval capability in the unmanned realm.

After purchasing a company that builds unmanned undersea vehicles earlier this year, HII last month announced an investment in Sea Machines Robotics, a company located in Boston, Mass. that focuses on software for the unmanned surface vehicle market.

Andy Green, HII Technical Solutions group president, said the latest investment will allow the company to respond to the Navy’s requests and help the service learn more about the new unmanned technologies it plans to use.

“Unmanned vehicles – whether surface or sub-surface – they extend the reach and act as a multiplier of existing platforms for, whether it’s [the] United States Navy or one of our allies, it provides significant extension of those platforms’ capabilities, regardless of the specific mission the platform’s being used for,” Green told USNI News in a recent interview.

The former submariner billed unmanned platforms as a way for the Navy to supplement legacy platforms like amphibious ships and combatants with new technology.

“They’re essentially augmenting the larger combatant platforms that are out there, whether you’re talking about submarines or DDGs, or amphibs,” he said of the unmanned surface vehicles.

Green described the Sea Machines investment as a “logical extension” of what HII delivers to the Navy.

“Sea Machines brings a set of capabilities to the table that we believe has a lot of potential in the USV market, which is why we got involved with them,” he told USNI News. “But there are a lot of other pieces to the puzzle. When you talk about the different technologies, because they go into UUVs and USVs, the autonomy software is just one piece of that.”

“When you say autonomy, there’s a lot of subsets of autonomy that you got to think about, whether you’re thinking about controlling propulsion, you’re controlling steering and navigation, etc, or your control of whatever devices and sensors that you’ve got onboard,” he continued.

In a press release announcing the investment from HII, Sea Machines defined its autonomous control system as one that “works under the command of a human operator” and “boosts the predictability and precision of operations while lowering the risk of fatigue-related incidents.”

HII first launched into the unmanned market in early 2015, when the company disclosed its purchase of The Columbia Group’s Engineering Solutions Division, which built the Large Displacement Unmanned Underwater Vehicle known as Proteus. Then, earlier this year, HII reached a $350 million deal with Kongsberg to purchase Hydroid, which builds unmanned underwater vehicles.

HII also joined Boeing in a collaborative bid for the Navy’s Orca Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle, for which Boeing received a $43 million contract to build four vessels in February 2019.

The most recent investment from HII in the unmanned surface vehicle arena comes as the Navy works to determine how unmanned vehicles will fit into its future fleet architecture. Last year, the Navy stood up Surface Development Squadron 1 (SURFDEVRON) to cultivate the service’s concepts of operations for unmanned vehicles. SURFDEVRON is using the Navy’s Sea Hunter, a medium unmanned surface vehicle born out of a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency endeavor, to experiment with the CONOPS.

But the pursuit of unmanned platforms has hit roadblocks in Congress, as lawmakers express skepticism over the Navy’s approach and suggest the service is moving too quickly on technology it has yet to test. House and Senate authorizers in drafting the fiscal year 2021 defense policy bills sought to increase oversight of the Navy’s Large Unmanned Surface Vehicle program.

Green said that HII, due to its history building platforms from aircraft carriers to submarines, is in a unique position to help the Navy. HII is the only contractor that builds the service’s nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. The company also builds amphibious assault ships, amphibious transport dock vessels, and destroyers.

“When you think about how we can leverage unmanned systems technology in our existing platforms . . . because we make all those platforms . . . we have the ability to, as these technologies develop, to do technology insertion, to work with our program folks on the larger programs . . . and see where we can insert those technologies — see where we can leverage all of our many many decades of experience in building maritime platforms and undersea platforms — leverage that in developing technology that’s going to take UUVs and USVs to that next stage,” he said.

Sea Machines’ A.I.-powered advanced perception system gives commercial vessel operators enhanced situational awareness via obstacle detection, collision avoidance and environment-understanding capabilities for increased safety, predictability and productivity on the water.

One way HII can help the Navy, according to Green, is by discovering “creative ways” the service could employ autonomous technology, or launch and recover unmanned platforms.

“Everybody is sort of trying to feel out this space and figure out how it’s going to evolve and how the CONOPS are going to evolve, etc. and I think being there, at the table, partnered with the Navy across all platforms certainly puts us in a good position to help them out,” Green said. “And if we can continue producing these platforms, making sure that the costs are as controlled as possible — keep these programs as affordable as possible — while giving them what they need in terms of capability and bringing them good ideas maybe that they hadn’t thought of on how to use these things, then I think we’ll all be in a good position.”

By investing in both the unmanned undersea and surface vehicle areas, Green said HII can support the Navy with the interoperability and integration the service will require as it grows its unmanned arsenal.

“I think the more that we can invest in and demonstrate that we can weave these technologies together across the UUV space and the USV space, I think the better it is for the Navy,” Green said. “Because the more commonality they have across their programs and the better these vehicles can communicate, not only with manned platforms, whether it be sub-sea, surface or air, but also communicate with other unmanned platforms – sub-sea, surface and air — it’s going to be helpful to them.”

Top photo: Artist’s conception of the Boeing and HII Orca XLUUV. (Boeing image)

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