BAE Systems to test autonomous boats and planes in the Solent

BAE Systems will deliver the UK’s first dedicated autonomous systems testing service after securing a £457,000 grant from the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

A full test service should be ready to go live before the end of 2017, when customers will be able to conduct trials of unmanned boats, air vehicles and autonomous sensors in a safe, controlled and realistic environment in the Solent.

BAE Systems will provide the service’s infrastructure with the help of ASV Global, Blue Bear Systems Research, Marine Electronic Systems (MES), SeeByte and the University of Southampton.

The service will make use of a secure maritime communications network and a mobile command and control centre, featuring the same technology BAE Systems provides to Britain’s Royal Navy platforms.

Frank Cotton, BAE Systems’ combat systems head of technology, commented: “A wide range of organisations from the defence and commercial sectors, along with academia, have ambitions for this technology and this unique service will allow them to find valuable ways to use it whilst furthering its development.

“The Solent area has a growing number of world class organisations operating in the autonomy sector and we are excited to be working with ASV Global, Blue Bear, MES, SeeByte and the University of Southampton to launch this concept this week.”