Sea drone completes first long-distance sea trials off Kola coast
An autonomous sea drone has completed a 169-kilometre voyage around the Fishermen Peninsula in Russia’s far north, travelling from Liinakhamari in the Pechenga Fjord to Ura-Guba.
The six-hour voyage was completed without operator intervention, according to Murmansk-based NPK Progress, the company that developed the boat. The route is reportedly the longest autonomous voyage yet carried out in northern Russia.
The voyage began at Liinakhamari, near the Norwegian border, and ended at Ura-Guba on the Barents Sea coast. Part of the route was in sheltered waters, while the longest stretch took the drone into open waters.
During the voyage, the boat conducted video surveillance, surveyed parts of the Rybachy and Sredny Peninsulas, recorded other vessels operating in the area and assessed the electronic environment, NPK Progress said in a promotional video of the trial.
The 5-meter-long boat can carry up to one ton of cargo.
NPK Progress develops unmanned systems for Arctic operations and is also working on FPV drones designed to operate in maritime environments.
In cooperation with regional authorities in Murmansk, the company plans to develop several larger autonomous boats capable of transporting cargo from Murmansk to remote coastal settlements, such as Gremikha on the peninsula’s northeastern coast, as well as other locations that are difficult to reach by conventional transport.
“Autonomous boats will pave the way for regular unmanned transportation in the northern seas,” NPK Progress said.
The company’s long-term plans come as another Murmansk-based development cluster, led by Kola Shipyard and the ELVO Research and Production Association, is developing sea drones for military purposes, as previously reported by the Barents Observer.
