Japan’s Eco Marine Power (EMP), is developing a new Aquarius Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) to incorporate a number of its energy saving technologies including the EnergySail.
The Aquarius USV will be powered by a solar-electric hybrid marine power (HMP) solution which will also feature a solar panel array designed by EMP. On-board batteries will be re-charged via the solar-panel array or via ship or shore power using rapid battery re-charging technology.
The vessel will be fitted with compact low power marine computer systems which will utilise the KEI 3240 platform - this flexible marine computer system architecture has proven itself to be reliable on hundreds of vessels ranging from tugboats to ocean going bulk ore carriers and tankers.
It will also have a sensor pack including several unique sensors developed by EMP which will be able to collect data from above and below the waterline to be stored on-board the vessel and/or transmitted back to a ship or shore office.
Because it will have a shallow draft and low height, the vessel will be able to operate on urban waterways, rivers, bays and lakes in addition to being suitable for coastal waters and missions at sea.
It will ideally suited to work on monitoring harbour pollution, oceanographic surveys, maritime park surveillance, port security, coastal border patrols and marine data collection.
The prototype is scheduled to commence operational tests during 2015.
