Aircraft
Maritime UAV no fish out of water
Britain’s Warrior Aero Marine has formed a team to produce innovative maritime unmanned systems.

Britain’s Warrior Aero Marine has formed a team to produce innovative maritime unmanned systems. The project has resulted in the construction of the seven-foot-long Gull 24 model, which has already undergone successful trials in a wide range of sea and wind conditions. The UK Ministry of Defence has designated this as a UXV, with the “X” indicating a combination of both aerial and water surface capabilities to differentiate it from the more common UAV.

The trials of the Gull 24’s surface launch and recovery systems conducted under a UK Defence Technology Council contract have proved the concept of a practical seaborne UAV system. To this end, Warrior worked with Roke Manor Research to develop sensing technologies to aid automated management of the aircraft when operating in surface mode.