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alternatives in terms of autonomous navigation, in particular collision avoidance to reduce the amount of supervision that is necessary for these vehicles and increase the ability to react to different situations.? While there are many drivers propelling the use of USVs in this sector, Bustamante said that resource monitoring and management is a big issue today. ?Therefore we have continu- ous requests for collection of data for water reservoirs, indus- trial process residues an waterways, amongst others. A peri- odical collection of data makes it easier to identify trends and outliers. By using autonomous vessels that automate a big part of this activity, the results become more reliable. Additionally, many of these surveys happen in areas that are not necessarily accessible or safe. In this case it is better to use an autonomous vehicle than to risk somebody?s life.? The ?Newcomer?It would certainly not be accurate to call Robert J. Murphy ? who some consider the father of modern unmanned surface vessels ? a ?newcomer,? it is fair to label his latest endeavor, a link-up with an Abu Dhabi based company to co-develop, manufacture, market and sell a new family of USVs, is indeed in its infancy. Marine Technology Reporter was in Abu Dhabi, UAE, in January 2013 speci cally to meet with Murphy and his team, which at the time was working to and through partner Al Seer Marine on the project to unveil its new Unmanned Surface Vessel family at the International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi mid-February 2013. The ?family? includes: - Sea Serpent, the small 3-m ?jet ski? version; - Boomeranger, the larger 11-m RIB; and - Eclipse, the top-of-class 11-m monohull. Personally, Murphy is certainly no stranger to the world of autonomous robotic marine vehicles, having worked in the eld for more than a quarter of a century, dating to the mid- 1980s. But the latest turn for Murphy and his 5G International crew is perhaps the most intriguing in the link-up with Al Seer Marine. While the family of USVs is primarily targeted to the growing demand for offshore security missions, it is in effect an agnostic unmanned marine platform suited to most any Marine Technology Reporter 27www.seadiscovery.com MTR #4 (18-33).indd 27MTR #4 (18-33).indd 275/6/2013 10:55:10 AM5/6/2013 10:55:10 AM
