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The School of Physical, Chemical and Environmental Sciences (PACES) seeks to procure a modern uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) to support teaching, research and innovation in marine science, hydrographic surveying and marine robotics.
The platform will significantly enhance practical field teaching by providing students with access to contemporary autonomous survey technology that reflects current industry practice. The acquisition aligns with the strategic direction of UK marine science, where autonomous systems are increasingly central to national marine research infrastructure and offshore operations. It will provide students with experience of the technologies and operational workflows that are now expected across the marine sector, improving graduate employability and strengthening links with industry.
The proposed system will expand the University's field teaching capability by increasing the number and diversity of environments in which practical survey exercises can be undertaken. In addition to coastal waters, the platform should be suitable for deployment in ports, harbours, estuaries, inland waters and sheltered bays, creating greater flexibility for undergraduate teaching and postgraduate research.
Its portability will also enable deployment during residential field courses and support independent student projects and dissertations, providing more authentic, hands-on learning opportunities throughout the academic year while improving accessibility and inclusivity by allowing students to participate in advanced survey operations without requiring access to crewed survey vessels. To maximise operational flexibility, the USV should be readily transportable by a small team and capable of deployment without specialist lifting equipment.
The platform must therefore be person-portable and of modular construction, enabling it to fit within the rear of a standard SUV or pickup vehicle for transportation between field sites.
The system should be designed for low maintenance and provide a minimum operational endurance of seven hours on a single battery charge, allowing uninterrupted operation throughout a full teaching or survey day. Hot-swappable battery carriages would be highly desired.
The School requires a platform capable of both remote operation from shore and teleconnected operation, providing safe and effective survey capability without personnel entering the water. The system should support the creation and execution of pre-programmed navigation tracks and permit real-time editing of survey parameters and data acquisition whilst underway. Compatibility with the University's existing NORBIT multibeam sonar system is considered very highly desirable/near-essential, allowing integration with existing survey equipment and reducing additional capital expenditure. Safety, environmental sustainability and regulatory compliance are fundamental requirements.
The platform should incorporate situational awareness and collision avoidance capabilities to support safe autonomous operations. It must produce zero direct emissions during operation, generate minimal underwater and airborne noise, and avoid pollution of the operating environment. To facilitate straightforward regulatory compliance and minimise operational burden, the vessel should have an overall length of less than 2.5 metres, enabling operation within the scope of the exemptions outlined in MGN 702(M) Amendment 1.
Lastly, we would consider an autocast sound-velocity profiler winch highly desirable, and the ability to add/remove other sensors ad hoc, cheaply, and with ease of compatibility as a strong basis for choosing the final vessel.
