iXblue Launches DriX AUSV

iXblue has launched new multi-purpose Autonomous Unmanned Surface Vessel (AUSV) named DriX. 

DriX, made out of composite material, is optimized for both coastal and offshore missions.

“Our aim was to create an AUSV that was truly multi-role and which would expand the working domains of a traditional research vessel. In order to do that, we needed a vehicle that was light, resilient and with high-endurance,” said Guillaume Eudeline, business development manager for the Shipyard Division at iXblue. “We also wanted to take full advantage of its unmanned nature, which meant that it was designed by our shipyard, without any references to a human carrier hull shape. This is how we created a truly independent, safe, multi-role AUSV that saves manpower.”

The AUSV is 7.7 meters long and 0.7 meters wide, with a draft of 2.0 meters. The possible change of the gondola and its payloads makes it suitable for multiple applications such as exploration, pre-site installation, touchdown monitoring, undersea inspection, metocean, decommissioning, as well as environmental, geophysical, and hydrographic surveys.

Powered by a single propeller that enables the top-speed of 15 knots, DriX offers up to 7 days of endurance. Multiple navigation options are also available such as autopilot, remote supervisor action, a “follow-me” function and a “hovering” mode, the company noted.