Article Image

IPFS News Link • United Kingdom

Royal Navy Launches Robot Spy Speedboat, Not Armed Yet

• https://www.technocracy.news, By Ben Farmer

A drone speedboat that could pave the way for a Royal Navy robot fleet of high-speed reconnaissance and surveillance vessels has been unveiled by defence scientists.

The 34ft boat can skim across the waves at more than 50kts to track high speed targets, while navigating and dodging other ships without the control of a human.

Naval commanders believe the Maritime Autonomy Surface Testbed (MAST) could herald a robot fleet of high-speed craft packed with sensors to carry out spy and scouting missions.

The unarmed test craft is one of 40 prototypes to be tested by the Royal Navy in a major robot war game off the coast of northern Scotland in October.

The dawn of unmanned vehicles is likely to have the same revolutionary effect on naval warfare as the birth of flight and aircraft carriers, according to the navy's Fleet Robotics Officer.