Meet the USV Challenger: a pioneering 24-meter uncrewed surface vessel (USV) set to redefine subsea operations. After seven years of thorough development, this innovative project has become a seaborne reality.

DeepOcean started the project, and from 2022 it has been a collaboration between DeepOcean, Solstad Offshore and Østensjø Rederi.

The project introduces several innovations, with the two most significant being:

(1) The Autoremote system is a highly sophisticated solution designed to autonomously handle error conditions. The system integrates various components and technologies from renowned equipment suppliers in the offshore and maritime industries. It enables remote control of all onboard systems, including navigation, positioning, machinery, and other critical ship functions. And;

(2) Launch and Recovery system (LARS) over the stern, with working class ROV. LARS is designed and developed internally in the project together with suppliers. The WROV is specially developed for USV Challenger. It has, among other things, movable umbilical connection, damping in the frame, and “lift through” capacity.

The USV, LARS, and ROV are operated from the Remote Operations Center (ROC) at Killingøy, which now includes a specifically designed room for USV operations.

The vast majority of suppliers involved in the project are Norwegian.

The USV Challenger will be delivered from the shipyard in Q1 2025. From the shipyard, the USV Challenger is DNV classed and approved for manned operation and prepared for remote control. Then the integration of autoremote functionality, testing, demo projects, and approval will be completed in Haugesund, having the USV ready for operations in 2025.