Leidos demos Pathfinder vessel

22nd August 2017 - 13:30 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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Leidos has demonstrated its unmanned maritime capabilities at the US Navy's Advanced Naval Technology Exercise (ANTX 2017), the company announced on 16 August.

During the exercise, Leidos used the R/V Pathfinder autonomous test vessel to navigate and collect data in an at-sea operational environment. The data was transmitted to multiple base locations using redundant communication paths, a software defined radio with integrated mobile ad hoc network software, and a Kongsberg tactical radio link.

Equipped with high-resolution sensors, Pathfinder crossed waters off Panama City, Florida, in autonomous mode with limited human oversight for safety. The ship surveyed the sea floor and transmitted ocean and meteorological data back to shore at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, Rhode Island, and the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Panama City.

In its autonomous navigation mode, Pathfinder remained compliant with all international regulations for preventing Collisions at Sea requirements. The vessel also conducted an autonomous launch and recovery of an unmanned underwater vehicle to demonstrate the possibility of integrating the surface ship survey capability with the ability to perform high-resolution follow-up of features of interest.