Made in Abu Dhabi: World’s first 3D printed autonomous surface vessel – News

it can carry different types of non-lethal payloads as well as camera, radar and sonar systems

Al Seer Marine in Abu Dhabi has launched the first 3D printed autonomous platform called Hydra, which is already being produced locally.

Designed and built at its factory in the Mussafah Industrial Estate, the unmanned surface vessel (USV) is about 4 meters long and 1.5 meters wide. It is a scalable, modular and multi-purpose USV that can be deployed for security, surveillance and reconnaissance.

The autonomous vessel is designed to protect assets such as offshore installations, ships on shore, desalination plants, private islands and superyachts.

The Hydra uses a water jet propulsion system and can carry different types of non-lethal payloads as well as camera, radar and sonar systems.

The hull and deck were printed on the “Mega II”, the world’s largest robotic arm-based 3D printer, which began operations at the Al Seer Marine facility in Abu Dhabi in January this year.

The 36-meter-long mechanical Mega II is equipped with two industrial hybrid robots for additive manufacturing and post-processing.

According to an official at the Al Seer Marine Innovation and Capability Developments Business Unit, a new era of 3D printing has begun and will impact industries such as marine, security and defence, arts and culture, railways and automobiles, as well as space agencies and aviation. Only a few.

Hydra was recently exhibited at the 7th Naval Defense and Maritime Security Exhibition (Navdex) in Abu Dhabi.