Austal Tests Autonomous Patrol Boat for Australian Navy

The collaborative Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT) project, led by Austal Australia, has completed Sea Acceptance Trials for the autonomous vessel Sentinel off the Western Australian coastline.

The trials took place from March to April 2024 and involved testing remote and autonomous navigation using Greenroom Robotics’ Advanced Maritime Autonomy (GAMA) Software on the decommissioned Armidale-class Patrol Boat.

Throughout the trials, a limited number of project team members, observers, and a crew from International Maritime Services (IMS) were on board to respond quickly to any unforeseen events or required manual interventions.

Funded by the Commonwealth of Australia, PBAT is a collaboration between Austal Australia, Greenroom Robotics, Trusted Autonomous Systems, and the Royal Australian Navy Warfare Innovation Navy (WIN) Branch. Its goal is to demonstrate robotic, automated, and autonomous capabilities on a former Navy patrol boat for optionally crewed or autonomous operations.

The vessel used in the trials, Sentinel (formerly HMAS Maitland), underwent extensive modifications to enable remote and autonomous operations, including upgrades to navigation, communications, bilge, CCTV, and electrical systems. Greenroom Robotics added sensors and computer units to support the Autonomous Control System, GAMA.

Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg highlighted the integration of locally developed autonomous systems into a full-size Australian naval vessel.

Looking forward, Gregg expressed interest in collaborating with the Navy to advance autonomous technology further, potentially contributing to projects like the Large Optionally Crewed Surface Vessels (LOSV) recently announced by the Australian Government.

The PBAT project aims to advance remote operations and autonomous certification approaches while enhancing understanding of fuel management, communication, and navigation systems for autonomous operation. Lessons learned from PBAT will inform future naval projects, potentially optimizing crew workload and improving operational safety through reduced human error.