VESSEL REVIEW | Spanish Navy USVs to perform hydrographic surveys

The Spanish Navy recently acquired three compact unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) for operation by its hydrographic survey arm, the Instituto Hidrografico de la Marina (IHM).

Built by Norwegian unmanned systems company Maritime Robotics, the 5.98-metre USVs will expand the IHM's ability to gather data on the seabed, currents, tides, and other hydrographic and meteorological data to assist the navy in ensuring the accuracy of navigational charts. Commander Salvador Espinosa Gonzalez-Llanos, IHM director, said the use of unmanned craft will enable the faster mobilisation of smaller teams of hydrographic personnel.

The USVs are designed to be remotely monitored and controlled from a shore centre, thus eliminating the need for additional personnel at work sites. The shore centre can be fitted with electronic charts as well as displays showing engine and navigation info. The operator can monitor the surrounding sea areas and get collision avoidance warnings based on AIS, radar, and video information.

The USVs selected for the IHM can operate in both offshore and coastal waters. Polyethelene construction guarantees stable, near-unsinkable, and near-maintenance-free vessels. Each USV can also fit into a standard 20-foot container for more flexible deployment, and they can be launched directly into the water from shore or from a mothership even without additional specialised equipment. Trial sailings have demonstrated the craft's ability to operate in a range of weather conditions from winter in the Arctic to the more temperate waters along the Spanish coastline.

The USVs are each equipped with a large payload room and can be fitted with a variety of surface and sub-surface sensors/payload types such as EO/IR cameras, radars, oceanographic instruments, hydroacoustic positioning systems, and sonars. For the IHM USVs, Kongsberg Maritime supplied multi-beam echosounders for seabed mapping, fish stock assessments, and underwater inspections.

Sub-surface sensors can be mounted through a moonpool in the mid area of each craft, and a lift mechanism for raising and lowering the sensor underneath the hull can also be installed.

Click here for more news stories, feature articles, and vessel reviews as part of this month's focus on unmanned craft.