Cargo Business Techwire

Friday, September 18, 2015

Inmarsat builds satellites for Rolls-Royce drone cargo ships

British satellite company Inmarsat has joined a Rolls-Royce project to provide its satellites with the ability to coordinate autonomous drone ships.

The Advanced Autonomous Waterborne Applications Initiative, recently launched by Rolls-Royce, will explore the economic, social, legal, regulatory and technological factors that need to be addressed in order to make autonomous ships a reality.

Inmarsat said it will provide the satellite communications link and platform, which is
essential for drone remote control capability.

"The launch of Inmarsat’s Global Xpress mobile broadband network, which forms the heart of the new Fleet Xpress service, is a real turning point for the future of the maritime industry and ideally lends itself to the AAWA Initiative," said Ronald Spithout, the president of Inmarsat Maritime. "Fleet Xpress will enable the ship-to-shore communications required to support the remote control functionality fundamental to the realization of the autonomous ship."

For more of the Tech Week Europe story: www.techweekeurope.co.uk