Unmanned surface vehicle

A USV demonstration at Hampton, Virginia, January 2009

USV used in oceanographic research, June 2011

Unmanned surface vehicles (USV) or autonomous surface vehicles (ASV) are vehicles that operate on the surface of the water (watercraft) without a crew.

USVs are valuable in oceanography, as they are more capable than moored or drifting weather buoys, but far cheaper than the equivalent weather ships and research vessels,^[1] and more flexible than commercial-ship contributions. Wave gliders, in particular, harness wave energy for primary propulsion^[2] and, with solar cells to power their electronics, have months of marine persistence^[3] for both academic ^[4][5] and naval applications. ^[6][7]

Military applications for USVs include powered seaborne targets. Operational USVs with offensive capability include the Israeli Protector USV.^[8]

See also

• Fleet-class USV
• Piranha Unmanned Surface Vessel
• Protector USV
• Sea Hunter
• Spartan Scout
• Unmanned water vehicle Piraya
• UAPS20 Unmanned AutoPilot System
• ACTUV
• Springer USV ^[9]
• U-RANGER* USV ^[10]
• Liquid Robotics
• Silver Marlin
• USV Bonefish ^{[11] [12] [13] [14] [15]}

References

1. Stevens Institute of Technology student USV
2. "Carbon Wave Glider". Retrieved 24 February 2016.
3. "Robot Boats Survive Epic Voyage Across the Pacific — So Far". WIRED. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
4. Autonomous Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance of Unmanned Vessels in Simulated Rough Sea States. 18 November 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2016 – via YouTube.
5. "Robotica - An experimental setup for autonomous operation of surface vessels in rough seas - Cambridge Journals Online". Retrieved 24 February 2016.
6. This story was written Amanda D. Stein; Naval Postgraduate School Public Affairs. "NPS Acquires Two USVs, Opens Sea Web Lab for Expanded Undersea Warfare Research". Retrieved 24 February 2016.
7. "Information Dissemination: Eureka! Wave Glider". Retrieved 24 February 2016.
8. http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1254673318745&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull Jerusalem Post, 4 Oct 2009
9. "Springer USV". Retrieved 24 February 2016.
10. "Unmanned Surface Vehicles". Retrieved 24 February 2016.
11. SAAB & P.T Lundin Bonefish USV concept at Indodefence 2014. 19 November 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2016 – via YouTube.
12. "Unmanned Surface Vessel". Saab Solutions. 10 February 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
13. "Steering a course for unmanned vessels". InDaily. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
14. http://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=09661303-1f3b-49c1-95f1-7a0efd282d10&subId=303542
15. "Saab Bonefish proceeds apace - News - Shephard". Retrieved 24 February 2016.