Autonomous Vessel

As recognised in the Maritime Technology Roadmap, marine autonomous systems have a role in environmental monitoring, data acquisition, integration with satellite applications, monitoring of renewable energy arrays, surveys, oil and gas exploration, pollution monitoring and fisheries conservation, surveillance, security and many more applications.

The University will procure one autonomous platform - the operational domains of which will be confirmed once the project starts and industry demand is fully explored.

There is potential to procure a platform that will work independently or in conjunction with autonomous surface vessels, conventional vessels, shore side stations or moored buoys.

The autonomous platform will have the potential to house sensors and instruments to undertake data acquisition, monitoring and R&D.

The degree of 'autonomy' may range from full remote piloting, through to fully autonomous platforms.

The platforms will be essential assets for the research technicians to use when validating and developing new instruments with beneficiaries.

Indicative costs for a range of platforms covering surface and underwater domains have been investigated as part of the University's research.

Based on the generic requirements of modern piloted/autonomous platforms the funds identified would support an appropriate platform to be procured that offers value for money.

The project is funded by the 2014-2020 European Structural Investment Funds (ESI Funds) ie the European Social Fund (ESF) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)"