Hi-Tech NOAA/Navy Vessel Gets SeaKeeper 1000 ™

The automated SeaKeeper 1000TM monitoring system has been installed on a high-tech, wind-powered Autonomous Unmanned Surface Vessel (AUSV) prototype developed for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the United States Navy. This first installation is on a 30-foot catamaran scaled prototype. The unmanned ship is being tested on patrol of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, the new 140,000-square-mile Northwestern Hawaiian Islands preserve recently designated by President Bush (see SeaKeepers Report, Fall 2006).

Harbor Wing Technologies is developing an advanced, new-technology AUSV for use in protected marine areas and military/national defense applications. The open-ocean vessel will be a 45-foot by 45-foot trimaran hull with a 60-foot aerodynamic hard wing airfoil sail and proprietary robotic computer software. The half-scale catamaran prototype, equipped with the SeaKeeper 1000 system, successfully completed sea trials last June.

The unique autonomous unmanned Harbor Wing (pictured upper right) is an environmentally friendly craft designed for long-range, long-duration open-ocean patrols or shorter range coastal water missions to provide low-cost, real-time situational awareness to commanders and controllers on shore or at sea.  It will replace fuel-powered ships, aircraft and helicopters.

The unmanned vessel breaks new ground in automation.  The innovative command and control guidance system, designed by vehicle guidance experts, enables control personnel to direct the AUSV's operations from afar while at the same time monitoring data from surveillance, measurement, and sensor suites (such as those from the SeaKeeper 1000). The guidance system uses VHF radio, satellite and/or line-of-sight communications between the AUSV and the command station. The workstation command and control computing equipment is semi-portable and is easily located and maintained on shore or aboard command vessels. A highly visual and graphic user interface shows important navigational and situational data to operations personnel who can provide long-term or short-term command input for navigation and ocean operations.

The NOAA applications for Harbor Wing include scientific data collection, environmental and sanctuary surveillance and protection, protection of marine mammals and other endangered species, and integration with Coast Guard law enforcement in support of NOAA.  The Navy is interested in reconnaissance and surveillance roles for the vessel, whose autonomous operations would not expose a crew to danger. 

CEO John Englander explained the clear synergy between the two programs, “Like the new Harbor Wing vessel, the SeaKeeper 1000 is a highly automated data capture and transmission system that can go months on end without human intervention. The SeaKeeper 1000, however, has the unique ability to sample, measure, record and then transmit physical oceanographic data (salinity, temperature, oxygen, pollution, etc.) and weather information as well.” [Pictured to the left is the autoated SK1000 system installed on the hull of Harbor Wing.]

The Harbor Wing AUSV is being developed in Hawaii.  The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, the largest marine protected area in the world, will be an ideal location for deploying the AUSV and the SeaKeeper system. Mr. Englander added, “These automated systems are plotting a wide, continuous picture of the critical measures of ocean health for the scientific and public communities in an extremely cost-effectively manner.”

The Honorable Steven S. Honigman, General Counsel of Harbor Wing stated, “We are delighted to combine the technology developed by SeaKeepers with our innovative vessel, and we appreciate the International SeaKeepers Society’s and NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuaries Program’s support.  The totally automated system will be a superb, cost-effective application for NOAA, the Navy and the scientific community.  It will greatly expand their ocean and atmospheric data-gathering capability while respecting the environment that it monitors.”