UAE technology firm Marakeb Technologies is equipping an offshore unmanned surface vessel for Unique Group with autonomous technology. The project involving a 16-foot, Uni-Cat, work vessel, will be integrated with Marakeb’s autonomous conversion kit the MAP Pro.
The vessel will be able to operate programmable routes with it controlling variables such as speed, navigation and obstacle avoidance without human control.
Bud Peppe, chief of engineering for Marakeb, explains “Unique Group’s Uni-Cat, equipped with the MAP Pro Autonomy System, allows for autonomous hydrographic survey operations utilizing various payloads suitable for search and recovery, oceanography and monitoring as well as inspection surveys.
The MAP Pro systems is designed to be with either a purpose built unmanned service vessels or as conversion on an existing vessel. Marakeb says the system can be easily assembled and dissembled for transport to different locations.
Venkatesh Rao, regional vice president for the Middle East at Unique Group says, “The ease of mobility is a major highlight of our USV – ‘Uni-Cat’ – the 16 foot Cataraft platform is designed to provide convenient operability in areas which are difficult to access otherwise. The ability to customize the payload by mounting different sonars & ancillary sensors as required is definitely of key interest for our customers.”
It is step towards further autonomous operations by the Unique Group and he adds: “This is certainly a turning point for us as we’re looking to venture further into the development of customized autonomous vehicles over the years ahead.”
