Royal IHC and Demcon unmanned systems have entered into a strategic partnership for unmanned and autonomous vessels, starting with the development of containerised launch and recovery systems (LARS) for unmanned surface vehicles (USV) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV).
The partnership aims to allow operators to deploy autonomous and remote-controlled vessels more safely and efficiently within existing operations. The containerised LARS system is intended to enable the deployment of these vessels from workboats, pontoons, and other equipment in various maritime conditions.
Royal IHC is acting as the system integrator and shipbuilder, with Demcon providing technology for remote control and autonomous navigation. Both companies note that the LARS project is the first stage of a broader plan to industrialise and scale autonomous maritime systems.
“This Dutch collaboration is an important step towards the future for us, allowing us to make optimal use of each other’s competencies,” said Fedor Ester, managing director and co-founder of Demcon unmanned systems.
“Starting with LARS solutions for our USV portfolio is a logical first step, as it enables us to deploy our vessels more efficiently and on a larger scale. This makes it possible to deploy unmanned vessels quickly and safely from workboats, pontoons and other equipment.”
“This increases deployability and opens up new areas of application, which will further accelerate the adoption of these innovations and increase their added value.”
The companies are now working on the technical integration of the LARS units with Demcon’s existing portfolio of autonomous vessels, including the DUS V1875 survey craft recently delivered to Rijkswaterstaat.
