Developed over two years, the Scout was built largely from carbon fibre to save weight and powered by solar panels for reliable endurance, and it set an autonomous surface voyage record a few months after its launch. Rodriguez and his fellow students broke up afterwards to build individual careers and experience, later reuniting in 2020 to found Seasats in San Diego, with the aim of redesigning and updating their past IP into a USV that was less complex, less expensive and more reliable than what they perceived much of the USV world’s offerings to be capable of. Today, its technology is enshrined in the Lightfish, which, much like the Scout, features a composite monohull (though now fibreglass, rather than carbon fibre, as on Scout), designed with a low-profile and retractable keel to aid stability, along with solar cells on its top deck and gunwales for energy efficiency and self-sufficiency at sea. Masts at the front and rear provide for payload and antenna integration. “They are COTS solar panels, just with an effective weatherproof coating to keep them safe and clean against saltwater,” says Declan Kerwin, VP of operations at Seasats. “Another benefit of designing this USV as small, low and close to the water is that the waves periodically wash the panels off, giving it an effective, self-cleaning effect for salt, biofouling and so on.” The Lightfish measures 10 ft Seasats’ Lightsail is the successor to its founders’ previous USV, Scout, which was designed to cross the Atlantic through stability, solar energy and robust autonomy (Image courtesy of Seasats) Demcon unmanned systems improves safety, sustainability, speed and agility in maritime operations. We provide turnkey solutions for remote and over the horizon inspection, monitoring, surveillance and other operations in o shore, coastal and inland water. Our uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) can be deployed for the dredging, o shore wind, maritime contracting, research and safety, security and rst responder markets. More information at: www.demcon.com/unmanned designed and made in The Netherlands SURVEY SMARTER, NOT HARDER electric autonomous uncrewed vessels. UncrewedSystemsTechnologyv2500.indd 1 5/29/2024 9:21:19 PM
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