US robotics firm proposes new USV for Philippine military and commercial customers

US marine robotics specialist Sea Machines Robotics recently deployed an example of its newest unmanned surface vehicle (USV) series to Subic Bay in the Philippines.

Sea Machines is proposing the USV to both military and commercial operators in the Philippines for missions that include maritime domain awareness.

A contractor of the company conducted a series of autonomous navigation demonstrations in Subic Bay using the craft, which is compact enough to be housed in a standard shipping container for transport to and from operational sites.

Sea Machines had also set up a control centre at the former US Navy base in Subic Bay. The company said the USV can be deployed anywhere in the Philippines and be operated from Subic Bay via the control centre.

The demonstrator USV belongs to a series introduced by Sea Machines in 2024. The craft are being developed as turnkey solutions for duties such as hydrographic surveys, offshore asset inspection, and persistent on-water operations in security and environmental studies applications.

Each USV in the series will feature autonomous capabilities, an under-keel sonar mount, a CTD winch, and a cargo bay that can accommodate various payloads including sensors and smaller unmanned inspection and surveillance vehicles.

Sea Machines said that the craft's diesel propulsion will deliver, "an extended operational range for a vessel of her size."