Drone Technology News

Damen Shipyards Group has unveiled a new ship design based on modern defense and security requirements. The Multi-Purpose Support Ship (MPSS) has been co-developed with the Portuguese Navy, the vessel’s launching customer. It is a solution for the increasing use of drone technology in combat and surveillance. In addition to its primary function, the MPSS is designed to fulfil a wide range of additional tasks, including auxiliary roles.Damen has begun construction of the first vessel of this new design.

Explosive charges aboard the ship enabled battle damage assessment (BDA) teams to respond to actual damageThe former Austin-class amphibious transport dock USS Denver (LPD 9) was sunk in a blaze of glory as a target ship during the recent Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2022. The 9,600-ton, 561-foot Denver, which was commissioned in 1968 and served until being retired in 2014, had been stored with other inactive ships at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, before being sunk about 50 miles north of Kauai in about 15…

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) and Hydronalix, Inc. of Green Valley, AZ, signed a Cooperative Research And Development Agreement (CRADA) entitled AISUM Prize Challenge Hardware Support. Agreement number: NCRADA-NSWCCD-21-419. NSWC Crane is hosting an Artificial Intelligence for Small Unit Maneuver (AISUM) Prize Challenge with contestants from industry and academia. With the strategic goals of developing software that can be supported by a variety of hardware, non-proprietary robotic autonomy baseline component architecture and software were required.

Norwegian oil company Equinor has successfully sent a drone carrying a 3D-printed cargo from shore to an offshore production platform in the North Sea in what the company says is a world's first.In a flight spanning around 80 kilometers from the Mongstad base onshore to the Troll field in the North Sea offshore Norway, the drone carried a 3D-printed part for the lifeboat system. The flight took one hour, at an altitude of approx. 5000 feet, or 1524 meters."The flight was a test…

Research scientist and entrepreneur Sverre Dokken believes laser-based remote sensing has big potential in the maritime domain. But what is LADAR, who’s it for and what are the key benefits?“Our mission is to be the world leader in innovative maritime sensor products that enhance the safety and security of shipping and all manner of offshore activity,” says Ladar Ltd (LDR) principal Sverre Dokken.In the sensor vanguardEssentially a laser-based navigational aid, LADAR (Laser Detection and Ranging) combines long-distance object detection with high-accuracy measurement…

Allseas' giant Pioneering Spirit offshore construction and decommissioning vessel last week provided a stage for what is believed to be the Netherlands’ first drone to vessel delivery.Mobilizing in Rotterdam’s Alexiahaven for upcoming platform removal projects, the 382 meters long, 124 meters wide vessel last week received a special aerial package containing spare parts.The drone delivery was a test, set up by Dutch Drone Delta (a consortium promoting the use of drones), the Port of Rotterdam Authority and Allseas.

British multinational defence technology company Qinetiq collaborates with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to investigate how drone technology can strengthen their Search and Rescue (SAR) missions.Small unmanned air systems are delivering disruptive change across the industry. Ten years ago what was predominantly a niche hobby, or military technology, has now found wide commercial success. Anyone can easily have an eye in the sky and recent publicity is changing the way organisations view their problems.The Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) oversees search and rescue operations in the UK. Their volunteer Coastguard Rescue Teams respond to time-critical calls and work tirelessly to save lives.Funded by QinetiQ’s Internal Research and Development…

Interferry CEO Mike Corrigan explains why the global trade association is poised to take its work to the next level.While I respect the mantra of cautious optimism, I can’t help feeling genuinely excited that 2019 could prove to be a milestone year in the continuing growth of Interferry’s influence as the global voice of the ferry industry. We’ve come a long way since our US origins in 1976 as what was essentially a networking movement, but developments in recent months already suggest we are on course for yet more enhancement of our present-day worldwide networking and lobbying relationships.

The Port of Amsterdam announced a pilot project deploying a sailing drone that inspects the depth of marginal ships at the locks of IJmuiden, in a bid to gain experience in new technologies in nautical processes.The pilot has been set up with a view to gaining more information and experience regarding sailing drone technology. This development together with autonomously sailing vessels will have a great impact on future nautical processes.The experiment last week (8 to 13 July) took the first steps in examining the impact, the potential of the technology for Port of Amsterdam and the steps Port of Amsterdam has to take to prepare for a more structural deployment in the future.The pilot has been set up in collaboration with Seabed.

Launching this week in partnership with Airbus, Wilhelmsen’s shore-to-ship Singapore pilot project, marks the first deployment of drone technology in real-time port conditions, delivering a variety of small, time-critical items to working vessels at anchorage.Lifting off from Marina South Pier in Singapore with 3D printed consumables from Wilhelmsen’s onshore 3D printing micro-factory, the Airbus Skyways drone navigated autonomously along pre-determined ‘aerial-corridors’ in its 1.5km flight to Eastern Working Anchorage.

RIMS BV has been a leader in the push for maritime inspection via drone, and the company recently announced it has received another two certifications from DNV GL and the Indian Class Register for the use of Remote Inspection Techniques (drones) during surveys of enclosed spaces.RIMS BV now with certification from nine classification societies, and the company aims to prove that drone technology with skilled pilots helps to reduce the safety risks and offer a much more cost-efficient solution for inspections of assets.

Signing a supply agreement with Hitachi High-Tech Analytical Science (Hitachi High-Tech), Wilhelmsen will supply Hitachi High-Tech’s industry-leading handheld XRF analyzers to the maritime market, enabling vessel crews to accurately and efficiently test the sulphur content of their fuel, on the spot.With the International Maritime Organization’s 0.50% global sulphur cap on marine fuels set to come into force on January 1, 2020 and discussions on enforcement strategies and potential penalties for non-compliance gathering pace…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that it participated in a demonstration test of ship class survey using aerial drones to inspect an MOL-operated coal carrier in service, along with Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK), Hitachi Systems, and Mitsui Co.According to MOL, the demonstration test included a simulated ship inspection inside the cargo hold and ballast tank (which holds water used to balance the ship when it is not carrying cargo), using video shot from an aerial drone.The test verified the effectiveness of using drones to monitor rust, corrosion, and the presence of cracks, it said.ClassNK has conventionally conducted visual inspections…

Nimble and quick, unmanned aerial vehicles have evolved into a valuable tool for marine and offshore applications.When a U.S. oil tanker conducts a Critical Area Inspection Plan (CAIP) as required by ABS, it is an onerous process. For example, each tank requires seven days of set up with scaffolding and staging. An ABS inspector and UDT technicians must access, and be carefully lowered into the tank with instrumentation and tools. Inspection points in far reaching places are surveyed.

RIMS (Robotics In Maintenance Strategies) continues in their quest in the practical integration of drone technology in the world maritime surveying with yet another class society approval for the use of Remote Inspection Techniques (drones) during surveys of enclosed spaces, this time from ClassNK.Over the past 12 months RIMS have successfully secured class approvals from multiple societies; Bureau Veritas, Lloyd’s Register, ABS, RINA, KRS and now ClassNK.The certification for the use of Remote Inspection Techniques (drones) during surveys of enclosed spaces, from these classification societies opens the option of drone use to more ship owners and managers for inspections.The use of drones during surveys enables remote live on-screen object inspection…

Wilhelmsen Ships Service has been selected to help develop the future Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) regulatory framework for Singapore and will receive dedicated funding for their shore-to-ship delivery project.Wilhelmsen Ships Service is one of only four companies to have received the funding, following a Call-For-Proposal (CFP) by CAAS and the Ministry of Transport. The CFP aims to support the development of systems and technologies to enable innovations within the wide-ranging use of UAS. The maximum funding available for each project is SGD1.5 million, or up to 50% of the total project qualified costs.Outlining the potential development of UAS for shore-to-ship deliveries…

Aerial drones have made major advances in endurance, range and payload capacity over recent years while prices have continually plummeted, leading to a proliferation of drones expected to reach 12 million by 2020.This trend, some believe, means aerial drones will pose an even greater threat to the safety and security of commercial shipping vessels.To help combat this emerging threat, U.K. based Martek Marine has developed a maritime drone detection and defeat system called D-FENCE.As terrorist use of drones deploying explosives is well documented…

RIMS (Robotics In Maintenance Strategies) have secured a further class approval from Korean Register of Shipping (KRS) for the use of Remote Inspection Techniques (drones) during surveys of enclosed spaces. The KRS certification for the use of Remote Inspection Techniques (drones) during surveys of enclosed spaces, adds to the now highly impressive portfolio of class approvals RIMS have achieved in such a short period of time. This further certification means that even more shipowners and managers can now reap benefits which this new technology offers during class surveys.

Netherlands based towage operator KOTUG said it is exploring new ways to use aerial drone technology in its tug operations, as part of a plan to achieve safer and more efficient working conditions. While interest in drone technology has been gaining momentum in the maritime sector, stakeholders continue to explore new applications, from aerial deliveries to surveying and inspection. KOTUG has applied for a patent for its new plan, which involves using a drone to connect the towline to an assisted vessel.

Flights of Fancy? No longer a pipe dream, aerial drones find a home in maritime. Price Waterhouse Cooper estimates the global commercial drone market at $127 billion. Shipyards, offshore wind-farm developers, cruise lines, blue water cargo agencies, maritime marketing departments, first responders, admiralty lawyers, shore-to-ship package couriers, insurers, classification societies, salvors, container ports and the military are all using or actively exploring drones to accomplish tasks heretofore impossible without greater risk or cost.

DNV GL held it’s traditional press conference at the Nor-Shipping trade fair today. This year, the event took place on the Vision of the Fjords, a DNV GL-classed carbon fiber hybrid ferry. The content showcased DNV GL’s innovative vision, with attendees taking part in a virtual reality (VR) presentation, which showed how DNV GL is pushing ahead with a digital transformation to improve the quality and efficiency of its services, as well as the emerging solutions which will take class into the future. The VR experience took viewers on a tour of the Shanghai Express, a modern container ship, to demonstrate how advanced sensor technology, powerful satellite connections, and the digital data being created and transmitted from vessels was opening up a new range of possibilities for shipping.

In the future, autonomous ships may have a central role to play in Denmark. A pre-analysis made by the Danish Technological University (DTU) and the Danish Maritime Authority points to the need to develop technological solutions. As the entire transport sector vigorously strives to develop autonomous solutions, many developments have come a long way, especially for cars and trucks. The shipping industry too will see more new autonomous technology solutions, just as drone technology will become more widespread. The Danish Maritime Authority has therefore cooperated with the DTU to consider the development potential of autonomous ships in more detail. “Blue Denmark must – just as the rest of the Danish business sector – be frontrunners within technological developments.

Drones could cut time and costs for deliveries and inspections across the Maersk Group – but they must be reliable and absolutely safe. Maersk Tankers is testing delivery to vessels on drones that have been certified for explosive environments. Markus Kuhn peers out through the fog and spots the Maersk Edgar waiting across the chilly Danish waters. Drone operator Thierry Bauer, dressed against the winter cold after a long journey from his centre of operations in Southern France, carefully attaches the cargo of Maersk cookies to its transport.