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

It can carry different types of non-lethal payloads along with camera, radar, and sonar systems

Published: Fri 3 Mar 2023, 12:42 PM

Updated: Fri 3 Mar 2023, 1:46 PM

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Supplied photos

Supplied photos

Abu Dhabi’s Al Seer Marine has launched the first 3D printed autonomous platform named Hydra, which has been produced locally.

Designed and manufactured at its facility in the industrial area of Mussafah, the unmanned surface vessel (USV) is around 4 metres long and 1.5 metres wide. It is a scalable modular multi-functional USV, which can be deployed for security, surveillance and reconnaissance.

The autonomous vessel is designed for protection of assets like offshore installations, shore-side ships, desalination plants, private islands, and super yachts.

Hydra, which uses a waterjet propulsion system, can carry different types of non-lethal payloads along with camera, radar, and sonar systems.

The hull and deck were printed on ‘Mega II’, the world’s largest robotic arm-based 3D printer, which started operation in January this year at Al Seer Marine facilities in Abu Dhabi.

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

According to an official from Al Seer Marine Innovation and Capability Developments Business Unit, a new era of 3D printing started and will impact industries like marine, security and defence, art and culture, railways and automotive as well as space agencies and aviation industry to name a few only.

Recently, Hydra was on display during the seventh edition of Naval Defence and Maritime Security Exhibition (Navdex) held in Abu Dhabi.

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