Austal Australia has established a strategic commercial partnership with Greenroom Robotics, advancing their previous collaboration in the completed Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial for the Royal Australian Navy.
The latest partnership will extend the two companies’ cooperation to develop watercraft-based products, services and technologies geared toward crew reduction and safer operations of autonomous vessels that Austal Australia will build.
Glenn Callow, Austal Australia’s chief technology officer, said the new agreement also demonstrates their growing proficiencies in remote and autonomous watercraft technologies aligned with AUKUS Pillar 2 goals.
“This agreement enables Austal and Greenroom Robotics to continue working together, build upon the valuable lessons learned from PBAT, and develop practical remote and autonomous solutions that may be applied to any watercraft designed or built by Austal,” he added.
The technologies tested in PBAT included the Greenroom Robotics Advanced Maritime Autonomy software integrated into Austal’s platform management system, Marinelink.
Austal announced PBAT’s completion in April. The project involved tests on a decommissioned RAN vessel and probed the legal requirements of autonomous vessel operations.