Posted: November 5th, 2023

Developing Unmanned Surface Vehicles for Inspection, Surveillance and Light Cargo Transfer in Australian Coastal Waters

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Developing Unmanned Surface Vehicles for Inspection, Surveillance and Light Cargo Transfer in Australian Coastal Waters

Unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) are autonomous or remotely controlled vessels that operate on the surface of the water. USVs have various applications in maritime domains, such as inspection, surveillance, environmental monitoring, search and rescue, and light cargo transfer. In this blog post, we will discuss the current state and future prospects of developing USVs for these purposes in Australian coastal waters.

Inspection

USVs can perform inspection tasks that are too dangerous, costly, or time-consuming for manned vessels. For example, USVs can inspect underwater pipelines, cables, and structures for damage or leakage, using sensors such as sonar, cameras, and laser scanners. USVs can also inspect the water quality and marine life in sensitive areas, such as coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds. USVs can provide real-time data and feedback to operators or decision-makers on shore or on board other vessels.

One of the challenges of developing USVs for inspection is to ensure their reliability and safety in complex and dynamic environments. USVs need to navigate autonomously or semi-autonomously, avoiding obstacles and collisions with other vessels or marine animals. USVs also need to communicate effectively with other USVs or manned vessels, using wireless or acoustic networks. USVs need to cope with uncertainties and disturbances, such as waves, currents, winds, and noise.

Several research projects and initiatives are underway in Australia to address these challenges. For example, the Australian Maritime College (AMC) at the University of Tasmania is developing a fleet of USVs for inspection of marine renewable energy devices, such as wave and tidal generators. The AMC is also collaborating with the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) and other partners to develop a USV platform for mine countermeasures and hydrographic surveying. The University of Sydney is developing a USV for inspection of coral reefs using machine learning and computer vision techniques.

Surveillance

USVs can perform surveillance tasks that require persistent and covert observation of maritime activities or events. For example, USVs can monitor illegal fishing, smuggling, piracy, or terrorism activities in Australian waters or in the region. USVs can also detect and track anomalous or suspicious vessels or objects, using sensors such as radar, optical, infrared, or acoustic. USVs can provide situational awareness and intelligence to authorities or forces on shore or at sea.

One of the challenges of developing USVs for surveillance is to ensure their endurance and stealth in long-term and large-scale missions. USVs need to operate autonomously or semi-autonomously, following predefined or adaptive routes or patterns. USVs also need to communicate securely and efficiently with other USVs or manned vessels, using encrypted or low-power networks. USVs need to manage their energy consumption and replenishment, using renewable sources such as solar or wind.

Several research projects and initiatives are underway in Australia to address these challenges. For example, the DSTG is developing a USV for surveillance of maritime borders and offshore assets, using a hybrid propulsion system that combines diesel and electric power. The DSTG is also collaborating with the University of Adelaide and other partners to develop a USV for surveillance of littoral zones, using a novel hull design that reduces drag and noise. The University of Technology Sydney is developing a USV for surveillance of marine pollution events, using a bio-inspired propulsion system that mimics fish swimming.

Light Cargo Transfer

USVs can perform light cargo transfer tasks that involve transporting small amounts of goods or materials between vessels or locations. For example, USVs can deliver supplies, equipment, or personnel to remote islands or offshore platforms. USVs can also transport samples, data, or specimens from research stations or vessels to laboratories or facilities on shore. USVs can provide fast and flexible delivery services that complement conventional shipping methods.

One of the challenges of developing USVs for light cargo transfer is to ensure their stability and maneuverability in loading and unloading operations. USVs need to dock autonomously or semi-autonomously with other vessels or structures,
using sensors such as GPS, cameras, and lidar. USVs also need to communicate reliably and accurately with other USVs or manned vessels,
using wireless or acoustic networks. USVs need to handle their cargo safely and securely,
using mechanisms such as cranes, winches, or containers.

Several research projects and initiatives are underway in Australia to address these challenges.
For example,
the University of Wollongong is developing a USV for light cargo transfer between ships at sea,
using a magnetic docking system that aligns and attaches the vessels.
The University of Queensland is developing a USV for light cargo transfer between shore and offshore platforms,
using a hydrofoil design that reduces drag and increases speed.
The Australian National University is developing a USV for light cargo transfer between research stations in Antarctica,
using a modular design that allows different configurations and payloads.

Conclusion

USVs are emerging as a promising technology for various applications in Australian coastal waters,
such as inspection, surveillance, and light cargo transfer.
USVs offer advantages such as cost-effectiveness, safety, flexibility, and scalability over manned vessels.
However, USVs also face challenges such as reliability, safety, endurance, stealth, stability, and maneuverability in complex and dynamic maritime environments.
Several research projects and initiatives are underway in Australia to address these challenges and to develop USVs that can meet the needs and expectations of various stakeholders and users.

References

[1] A. Nguyen et al., “A fleet of unmanned surface vehicles for marine renewable energy device inspection,” in Proceedings of the 2019 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Montreal, Canada, May 2019, pp. 9530-9536.

[2] J. Chin et al., “Development of an unmanned surface vehicle for mine countermeasures and hydrographic surveying,” in Proceedings of the 2018 IEEE/OES Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Symposium (AUV), Porto, Portugal, Nov. 2018, pp. 1-8.

[3] M. Bryson et al., “Reef Rover: An autonomous coral reef exploration system,” in Proceedings of the 2017 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Singapore, May 2017, pp. 5898-5904.

[4] S. Sukkarieh et al., “Persistent maritime surveillance using unmanned surface vehicles,” in Proceedings of the 2016 IEEE Aerospace Conference, Big Sky, MT, USA, Mar. 2016, pp. 1-10.

[5] M. Efatmaneshnik et al., “Design of a long endurance hybrid propulsion unmanned surface vehicle for maritime border surveillance,” in Proceedings of the 2016 IEEE/OES Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Symposium (AUV), Tokyo, Japan, Nov. 2016, pp. 1-8.

[6] B. Nguyen et al., “Design and development of a novel unmanned surface vehicle for littoral zone surveillance,” in Proceedings of the 2020 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Paris, France, May 2020, pp. 10111-10117.

[7] A. Rahmani et al., “Design and development of a bio-inspired propulsion system for an unmanned surface vehicle,” in Proceedings of the 2019 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO), Dali, China, Dec. 2019, pp. 2045-2050.

[8] M. Alamir et al., “Autonomous docking system for unmanned surface vehicles using magnetic forces,” in Proceedings of the 2017 IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics and Automation (ICMA), Takamatsu, Japan, Aug. 2017, pp. 1103-1108.

[9] S. Ooi et al., “Design and development of a hydrofoil-based unmanned surface vehicle for light cargo transfer,” in Proceedings of the 2018 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Brisbane, Australia, May 2018, pp. 1-5.

[10] A. Elsayed et al., “Modular design of an unmanned surface vehicle for Antarctic research,” in Proceedings of the 2020 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Las Vegas, NV, USA, Oct. 2020, pp. 10832-10838.