First USV ordered for Dutch water board

The 2m long vessel will be delivered by Demcon Unmanned Systems, which makes USVs for inland and near-shore waterways as well as other models for further out to sea.

The Rijkswaterstaat’s vessel will have autonomous navigation functionality

“The automation systems allow the USV to operate autonomously where permitted and keep it safe from collisions,” says Demcon. “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 propulsion system is designed with continuous navigation capability to navigate the more complex waterways and their denser vegetation.

“Among other things, this new USV will be equipped with an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler to measure water currents and discharge in shallow and/or difficult-to-access waterways,” said Jan-Willem Mol, from Rijkwaterstaat’s Kobile Measurements department. “Examples include measuring water discharge in a flooded floodplain during high water and measuring currents in groin fields along a river.”

The USV has a modular design with interchangeable moonpool, and it can be fitted with various sensors and echosounders, hull-mounted  3D side-scan sonars and sub-bottom profilers as well as water quality samplers and monitoring sensors.

“The partnership with Rijkswaterstaat underscores the applicability of our innovations and proves that the Dutch USV market is maturing,” said Demcon MD Fedor Ester. “Recent developments in legislation and regulations, such as the new exemption possibilities for USVs, contribute positively to this.”