Marine data acquisition specialist can now operate USVs in UK waters

UK-based marine data acquisition provider and USV manufacturer, Uncrewed Survey Solutions (USS; formerly Unmanned Survey Solutions) has received Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) acknowledgement against Marine Guidance Note (MGN) 705 general exemption for ROUV safe operations, enabling the business to now conduct its specialist hydrographic surveying work within UK waters.

Having successfully operated internationally, the UK-headquartered business has received official acknowledgement that USS' own modular USV can be operated to support customers in UK waters, due to the MCA releasing MGN 705 specifically for Mini-MASS craft from 2.5 to <4.5 metres in length.

"The MCA’s new general exemption regulations enable smaller uncrewed vessels to be remotely operated in UK waters, in line and hand-in-hand with other stringent regulations including SOLAS and COLREGS," said James Williams, CEO of USS.

ROUVs between 2.5 metres and under 4.5 metres in LOA may comply with the General Exemption set out in MGN 705 permitting eligible vessels to operate without certification issued by the MCA or its delegates. Vessels subject to this General Exemption are expected to be under the constant supervision of a human operator, with the means to take control at any time.

Operating under the General Exemption allows USS to further assist its customers in their transition from traditional crewed surveying operations to the utilisation of smaller, uncrewed craft delivering turnkey 24/7 hydrographic surveying and marine data acquisition solutions for both line-of-sight (LOS) and beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) over-the-horizon projects.