The Flanders Marine Institute of Belgium has taken delivery of a new unmanned surface vehicle (USV) from Norway's Maritime Robotics. The craft, which has been named Gobelijn, is a multi-purpose platform capable of long-endurance missions.
The USV is outfitted with a range of state-of-the-art scientific sensors. In addition, it is equipped with a launch and recovery system (LARS) that is able to deploy ocean gliders.
Goblijn will be operated primarily in the North Sea to complement the marine institute's research vessel Simon Stevin. The USV will be piloted from a remote-control center based onshore.
Through various communication channels, the vessel can be navigated to conduct scientific measurements for days or even weeks at a time. Maritime Robotics said this will allow researchers to observe marine phenomena over longer timescales, for example across several tidal cycles. In most cases, such an activity is not feasible on traditional research vessels due to the high demand for shipping time and the considerable costs.