TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A US uncrewed surface vessel called “Lightfish” has completed what its maker described as the first autonomous trip through the Taiwan Strait, according to a Seasats press release Wednesday.
The San Diego-based company, said the Lightfish traveled more than 1,000 nautical miles (1,852 kilometers) during the mission. The company said the vessel crossed the full length of the Taiwan Strait over five days while monitoring ship traffic.
Seasats said the vessel was launched and monitored from hundreds of kilometers away. The company said the mission showed that long-range drone boats can operate in busy and sensitive waters without people on board.
During the voyage, the Lightfish encountered several Chinese military ships, Seasats said. The company said one of them was a Type 056 corvette, a small Chinese navy warship.
Seasats said the Chinese vessels were operating in waters it described as Taiwan’s “exclusive economic zone.” It said the vessels were not sending identification signals through the Automatic Identification System, a tracking system used by ships.
The company said the Lightfish tracked the vessels and took photos showing their type and origin. Seasats CEO Mike Flanigan said the location and timing of the encounter made it important.
Seasats said drone boats can help Taiwan monitor nearby waters for long periods. It said such systems could make it harder for Chinese military ships to move without being detected.
The company said it is working with Taiwan and allied forces in the Indo-Pacific on maritime monitoring. Seasats said it has received more than NT$3 billion (US$100 million) in US government contracts and has worked with the US Navy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and research groups.
An uncrewed surface vessel is a boat that travels on the water without people on board. It can be controlled remotely or operate on its own using computers, sensors, cameras, and navigation systems.
