The UK’s Maritime Autonomy Surface Testbed (MAST), an unmanned surface vessel, has undergone trials on the Thames.
The MAST is being developed by ASV Ltd, with funding awarded by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), providing a testbed to host a range of new technologies which allows the Ministry of Defence to test and develop tactics for employing maritime autonomous systems.
The MAST is 32 ft in height and is capable of reaching high speeds with various levels of autonomy including basic remote control and total autonomous navigation.
The vessel is one of 40 autonomous systems taking part in the Unmanned Warrior 2016. The event has been created to allow engineers and scientists to demonstrate state of the art technology related to Naval Warfare.
Admiral Sir Philip Jones, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, said: “The growing scale of Unmanned Warrior is a clear demonstration of the Royal Navy’s ambition to lead and win through technological innovation. Unmanned maritime systems will change how we operate, but they’re just the start. Our pursuit of new technologies and ideas – from big data to 3D-printing – will ensure we remain one of the most capable and successful navies in the world.”
Vince Dobbin, Sales and Marketing director, ASV Global added: “ASV Global has been working in the maritime autonomy industry for many years. We have a long-standing partnership with Dstl, part of which includes working on the Bladerunner vessel. Our role in this programme has involved developing the autonomous capabilities of this fast vessel. This capability will be demonstrated at Unmanned Warrior in October showcasing the UK’s position at the forefront of delivering this revolutionary technology.”
