Autonomous Ships with Scaled Prototypes

We are developing scaled prototypes of autonomous inland vessels to support research and development in autonomous maritime systems. These prototypes are based on full-scale experimental vessels and allow us to test key functions at model scale before transferring them to larger platforms. The models are based on open-source hardware and software and are used for testing sensor fusion, AI-driven navigation, communication, and remote monitoring.

The prototypes are equipped with sensors such as LiDAR, camera, GNSS, and compass, and use ROS 2 as the main development framework. A Raspberry Pi serves as the central processing unit, while a Pixhawk flight controller handles low-level motor control. This setup allows us to test autonomy functions such as obstacle avoidance, path planning, and swarm coordination in a flexible and cost-effective model environment.

The work builds on the A-SWARM II and DigitalSOW2 projects, which focus on autonomous and automated inland navigation.