Sunday, September 6, 2015

Applications Unmanned Surface Vessel Can Be Put To

By Daphne Bowen


There are several reasons why many governments and learning institutions continue using water vessels that can interact both above and below the water line. Unmanned surface vessel also goes by the name autonomous surface vehicle and is often abbreviated to USV or ASV respectively. As suggested by the name, they are water vessels that do not need an onboard crew in order to sail. They are operated remotely from a base station and are self-propelled.

The use of USV was initially confined to educational purposes only. They were instrumental at understanding various forms of sea life that little information is known about. Like the present-day vessels, those initial ones also include data capturing, storage, and transmitting systems. Various forms of data that was collected, stored, and transmitted was in the form of audio, pictures, and videos.

Proper use leads to capture of crucial information for the study of certain aspects of the sea. They can be sent deep into the sea to collect research information and then directed back to the shore. Some of the phenomena that are currently known about the ocean are a direct result of assistance and capabilities of USVs. Data capturing happens both on the surface of the water and below.

The navigation system allows for the operator at the base station to direct the machine on its mission. Most of them rely on GPS systems for control, which implies that in case the connection is cut, they could be lost in the sea. The devices have proved to be resilient and more reliable compared to other manned vessels that have been used before.

USVs led to a lot of success in educational research that governments around the world started to develop and deploy them in military missions. They were preferred because they eliminate possibilities of human casualties in military missions. Many navies maintain several fleets of USVs ready for strategic missions in the sea. First generation USVs have therefore been modified and improved upon greatly.

Enormous evolution has occurred in current-day vessels. Features and capabilities incorporated are so many and diverse that most governments have restricted them for military use alone. Popularity of ASVs continues to grow as possibilities of being capable to deliver higher payloads in comparison to other underwater and surface water vessels grows. They have also been determined to be effective at denying access to unauthorized vessels and at the same time thwarting anti-access measures that enemy troops may install.

Both defensive and offensive capabilities have been built into current-day USVs. Such capabilities give them a superior hand in anti-submarine and mine warfare missions. The base station of deployment has also evolved a lot. It is possible to deploy them from another water vessel, air, and land. Control can also be done from air, water, and land without impairing functionality.

Regardless of the advantages, not many militaries around the world currently develop and deploy USVs. Only a limited number of navies from developed worlds have fleets. A short history and expensiveness are the two main factors that limit popularity and adoption of this new generation technology.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment