The first DUS V1875 unmanned survey vessel (USV) has been taken delivery of by Rijkswaterstaat. The vehicle is called REMO 1 and was built by Demcon unmanned systems. The vehicle is aimed at autonomous hydrographic survey on inland waterways.
REMO 1 is a compact and fully electric USV developed and built in the Netherlands. The vessel is specifically aimed at rapid deployment in places that are difficult or unsafe to access with traditional manned vessels. "The delivery is an important step towards further automation and sustainability in water management," says Fedor Ester, director Demcon unmanned systems.
Modular design
The DUS V1875 features an HDPE hull. It features a modular design with an interchangeable moonpool, which simplifies the swapping of measurement equipment. In doing so, it supports a wide range of sensors, such as multibeam echosounders, side-scan sonar, Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) and water quality instruments.
The first version of the vessel is equipped with an ADCP, aimed at making accurate measurements of water flow and flow rate. Flow is a core value in mapping river and canal flows, and an important parameter for determining safe embankment heights.
As the vessel can be easily equipped with other measuring equipment, it is suitable for a variety of measuring and monitoring tasks. REMO 1 should help Rijkswaterstaat collect reliable, detailed data for future-proof water management.
Electric propulsion and redundant systems
Operational safety, reliability and minimal environmental impact are central to the design, reports Demcon. For example, the vessel is equipped with a fully electric propulsion system, allowing it to operate emission-free. Several systems are also redundant and safety devices continuously monitor both the USV and its surroundings.
It also includes features such as automatic collision avoidance and Dynamic Positioning, which allow the vessel to navigate autonomously. Among other things, the USV can be deployed on regular waterways and in complex, tight environments, including outside the driver's direct view.
Autonomous capabilities demonstrated
he USV was handed over to Rijkswaterstaat during an official handover event, during which the vessel's autonomous capabilities were also demonstrated. This demonstration took place in the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. From the vessel Flevomeer, the USV was thereby launched. Among other things, guests were able to watch live camera footage of the USV in a bus on the quay.
Director of the Rijksrederij Willem de Vries: "The vessel is an example of how we can integrate modern technologies into our fleet. The delivery of this USV marks a new way of looking at how we can perform services for our clients in the most innovative and sustainable way possible."
