Rijkswaterstaat, the directorate-general responsible for public works and water management in the Netherlands, is introducing a new unmanned surface vessel (USV) for hydrographic measurement tasks. The organization has entered a four-year partnership with Demcon unmanned systems to acquire its first USV with autonomous navigation functionality.
Less than two metres long, this compact, high-tech vessel is designed for use on inland waters. Developed in the Netherlands and now in serial production, the USV is expected to be delivered later this year. Once in place, Rijkswaterstaat will begin process integration, training and maintenance.
Rijkswaterstaat chose to partner with Demcon unmanned systems due to the stringent demands for the design and the strict standards for system security, sustainability and cybersecurity. The fully electric USV also stood out with its patented dynamic positioning system with a shaft- and rudderless drive and the use of a robust, environmentally friendly and recyclable HDPE hull. Lastly, the fact that Demcon – as a Dutch leader in the field of innovative maritime automation and electric, autonomous, unmanned vessels – can offer support, service and maintenance locally was also seen as a plus.
Advantages of a modular design
With this partnership, Rijkswaterstaat benefits from proven USV technology with innovative tailor-made solutions. The small USV contains highly advanced navigation and security systems. The automation systems allow the USV to operate autonomously where permitted and keep it safe from collisions. Furthermore, its compact design features a minimum number of protruding components. Outside of its innovative shaftless rotating propeller ring, the entire vessel contains no other moving parts. Consequently, none of its components are subject to wear and tear and the USV requires no chemical lubrication. This makes the vessel exceptionally low in maintenance and highly environmentally friendly.
The streamlined design with the innovative propulsion system ensures continuous navigation in various complex inland waterways, such as those with dense vegetation. Jan-Willem Mol from Rijkswaterstaat’s Mobile Measurements department explained: “Among other things, this new USV will be equipped with an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) to measure water currents and drainage in shallow and difficult-to-access waterways. Examples include measuring water drainage in a flooded floodplain during high water and measuring currents in groins along a river.”
The modular design with interchangeable moonpool allows this small type of USV to be fitted with various sensors. There is room for multibeam echosounders (MBES), hull-mounted 3D sidescan sonars and sub-bottom profilers, as well as water quality sampling and monitoring sensors. This makes the USV a highly versatile and suitable solution for conducting a wide range of water management and quality measurements. This partnership will also strengthen the capabilities of Rijkswaterstaat in building knowledge and experience that will serve as a foundation for drawing up specifications for work to be outsourced in the future.
“This project marks an important milestone for us,” said Fedor Ester, managing director of Demcon unmanned systems. “The partnership with Rijkswaterstaat underscores the applicability of our innovations and proves that the Dutch USV market is maturing. Recent developments in legislation and regulations, such as the new exemption possibilities for USVs, contribute positively to this.”