USVs

Unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) are watercraft that navigate the surface of the water without a human crew aboard, using autonomous software or remote operator control. They range from small, commercially available craft to large, purpose-built platforms used for research, commercial applications, or defense. USVs are distinct from unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and from piloted ships.

Construction typically combines propulsion (propellers or waterjets), power sources (electric, diesel, or hybrid), and sensor payloads such as GNSS/INS, cameras, radar, sonar, and environmental instruments. Mission-specific equipment may include hydrographic survey gear, lidar or multispectral sensors, and equipment for sampling or monitoring.

Autonomy ranges from teleoperation and supervised autonomy to fully autonomous operation. Mission planning, waypoint navigation, and collision avoidance are core tasks, with robust communication links to operators or control centers. USVs often rely on redundant sensors and fault management to maintain safe operation.

Applications span civilian and military use. In civilian sectors, they support hydrographic surveying, oceanographic data collection, environmental monitoring, search and rescue, and port or offshore structure inspection. In military contexts, they provide reconnaissance, mine countermeasures, and support for mine clearance or surveillance missions.

Regulation and safety considerations are evolving and vary by jurisdiction. Operators address remote-command authorization, vessel certification, communications reliability, and algorithms for collision avoidance to reduce the risk of accidents at sea. Standardization efforts aim to improve interoperability and safety across platforms.