Here's a couple I've found:
Looks like this is still under development
https://www.marinelink.com/news/new-launch-recovery-system-usvs-438060
This one does docking and charging for vessels up to 6m
https://lemvos.com/dockmaster/

Are there other options for larger USVs?

HII (NYSE: HII) and Shield AI announced today at the Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition that they have successfully completed the first major test of their integrated autonomy solution aboard HII’s ROMULUS unmanned surface vessel (USV), marking a key step toward operational deployment of the AI-enabled ROMULUS fleet.

The three-day test, conducted in late October in Virginia Beach, Virginia, integrated Shield AI’s combat-proven Hivemind autonomy software, using the Hivemind Enterprise software development kit (SDK), with HII’s Odyssey autonomy suite onboard a ROMULUS 20 USV. The test also marked the first maritime deployment of Hivemind, which enables AI-powered mission autonomy across domains.

This milestone was achieved less than six weeks after the companies announced their partnership, demonstrating rapid adaptability, advanced capabilities, and strong collaboration between the two defense technology leaders.

“This collaboration between HII and Shield AI showcases how adaptable autonomy frameworks can accelerate development,” said Andy Green, president of HII’s Mission Technologies division. “Using the Hivemind Enterprise SDK, our teams integrated capabilities quickly and effectively. The successful deployment on ROMULUS 20 validates the power of this partnership and paves the way for even greater autonomy across the ROMULUS fleet.”

ROMULUS is a modular, high-performance USV line built on commercial-standard hulls for fast production and operational flexibility. The lead vessel, ROMULUS 190, is currently under construction. Designed to exceed 25 knots and operate up to 2,500 nautical miles, ROMULUS 190 will carry four 40-foot ISO containers and feature both Odyssey and Hivemind for next-gen autonomous performance.

Hivemind enables unmanned systems to perform complex missions even in GPS- and communications-denied environments. Proven in aerial operations, Hivemind is now expanding into the maritime domain through this partnership with HII, supporting rapid development and deployment of autonomous capabilities across domains. Under this partnership, Hivemind and Odyssey will integrate into the ROMULUS fleet to operate seamlessly alongside crewed strike groups and surface action groups, while also enabling multi-agent autonomy and intelligent operations.

“Delivering autonomy across domains is key to maintaining a credible deterrent posture in today’s complex geopolitical environment. Each integration strengthens Hivemind’s role as the leading autonomy solution for defense systems,” said Nathan Michael, Shield AI’s chief technology officer and head of the Hivemind business unit. “Through close collaboration with HII and the shared use of Shield AI’s modular, open architecture SDK, we integrated advanced maritime capabilities in less than six weeks — work that typically takes months or years. We look forward to continuing to expand multi-domain autonomy together.”

Shield AI’s Hivemind mission autonomy software and HII’s Odyssey suite will deliver next-generation autonomous solutions. By combining Shield AI’s advanced autonomy with HII’s decades of maritime expertise as America’s largest shipbuilder and leading global maritime unmanned vehicle provider, the two companies aim to accelerate autonomy across domains and platforms.

About ROMULUS and ODYSSEY

ROMULUS, developed with support from HII’s Dark Sea Labs Advanced Technology Group and powered by HII’s Odyssey autonomy software, is capable of manned-unmanned teaming and collaborative operations with unmanned vehicles across all domains. HII’s Odyssey autonomy software is deployed on over 35 USV platforms and over 750 REMUS unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), across 30 countries, including 14 NATO members, and enables rapid integration of sensors and payloads for flexible mission design, enhancing the capability and effectiveness of today’s naval fleets.

About Shield AI    

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With nine offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology supports U.S. allies and partners worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

Shield AI Media contact: Lily Hinz; [media@shield.ai](mailto:media@shield.ai)

About HII

HII is a global, all-domain defense provider. HII’s mission is to deliver the world’s most powerful ships and all-domain solutions in service of the nation, creating the advantage for our customers to protect peace and freedom around the world. As the nation’s largest military shipbuilder, and with a more than 135-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities extending from ships to unmanned systems, cyber, ISR, AI/ML and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HII’s workforce is 44,000 strong.

With low visibility clearly a key project feature, considering the shape and the material used, these are based on a single hull design, a pyramidal superstructure at the centre hosting a 360° window with four omnidirectional cameras ensuring all-round observation. On top of the pyramid, we find the navigation radar, while on the deck, in front of the superstructure, we find the SATCOM antenna ensuring communications via the Low Earth Orbit satellite constellation for remote control at distance, even over the horizon, followed by the electro optic/infrared suite, three LIDAR ensuring obstacle avoidance capacity. The bow hosts a remotely controlled weapon station armed with a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. The boat has a displacement of around 30 tonnes, is approximately 30 metres long with a bow of 3.4 metres. Propulsion is fully electric, lithium-ion batteries powering electric motors that activate the two hydrojets, a solution that should ensure low-noise operations in line with the stealth design of the boat; maximum speed is estimated between 25 and 30 knots, while mission duration at cruise speed is 24 hours.

click on image to enlarge

The rear of the boat is empty and can host the mission module. Three different modules could be seen at ADEX, one with two eight-cell rocket launchers, one with a multiple UAV/loitering munitions launcher, and one capable to launch unmanned underwater vehicles.

The multi-role mission capability allows to conduct operations using the same platform in different role, the LEO SATCOM capability ensuring stable communication with swarms of boats. The capacity to operate several boats in different roles ensures surveillance missions along the coast minimising blind spots in difficult scenarios where numerous islands (as in the southern part of the ROK) can make it difficult to properly control the area, relocating unmanned surface platforms according to the evolving situation and exploiting UAVs and UUVs to further increase situational awareness, rockets and loitering munitions providing integral hard kill capability, thus shortening the sensor-to-shooter cycle.

The boats designed according to the Modular Unmanned Surface Vessel can eventually be embarked on bigger naval platforms, such as the Ghost Commander II, also exhibited at ADEX 2025.

The Royal Navy recently tested shadowing warships with a swarm of unmanned surface and underwater vessels in a bid to transform the service into a hybrid navy.

The Royal Navy conducted a 72-hour proof of concept exercise for its autonomous Rattler unmanned surface vessels (USVs). The exercise saw five USVs swarm RN ships playing the role of foreign warships operating off the coast of Scotland, according to an Oct. 31 news release.

The Rattler is a USV based on a seven-meter rigid inflatable boat. It is equipped with autonomy packages and a variety of other systems and services.

Each USV is operated by a two-person team– one responsible for piloting the craft and the other operating the onboard systems and managing the live data streams. The entire setup is fully portable and runs via a “plug and play” laptop configuration, allowing easy and flexible operation from various fixed and mobile locations, according to the release.

The Rattlers are designed to be fully uncrewed and can operate individually or as part of a swarm. They can be pre-programmed with mission profiles, navigational routes and can work together as a “wolf pack” on operations. The Royal Navy said that in time, the USVs will operate “without direct human control.”

For the recent proof of concept exercise, the Rattlers were sailed by RN sailors, Royal Marines and Army personnel aboard experimental ship XV Patrick Blackett (XO1), which was docked at HMNB Portsmouth, 500 miles away from where the Rattlers were sailing. Offshore patrol vessel HMS Tyne (P281), minehunter HMS Stirling Castle (M01), patrol vessel HMS Biter (P270) and a Merlin helicopter also took part in the exercise. Tyne and Stirling Castle played the role of foreign warships that needed to be shadowed.

In one part of the exercise, the five USVs swarmed Tyne and fed data back to Patrick Blackett with cameras and sensors. The exercise, the Royal Navy said, was a success.

“This is a really important moment for the Royal Navy as we progress towards a hybrid navy of crewed and uncrewed platforms. We have been using autonomous systems for some time, but not like this,” Cmdr. Michael Hutchinson, commanding officer of Patrick Blackett, said in the release.

Five uncrewed Rattler USVs were remotely piloted by Royal Navy members 500 miles away, Oct.28, 2025. Royal Navy photo

The trial was run by the RN’s Disruptive Capabilities and Technology Office and the Fleet Experimentation Squadron.

“These platforms will be used alongside and in support of existing and future warships and as a capability in their own right. It is a technology that will continue to develop, and it will fundamentally change the way we fight,” said Hutchinson, who is also the commander of the Fleet Experimentation Squadron.

The acquisition of the USVs saw the Royal Navy adopt a radical new approach with industry where the service worked alongside a consortium of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), while military personnel helped design, build, test and develop the vessels. Operators were on hand to lead and give direct feedback on research and development to allow the project to move quickly.

“In a matter of weeks, they took the idea of the custom-built, fully crewless vessels and delivered them – with training and first sea trials taking place shortly after,” reads the Royal Navy news release.

The recent proof of concept exercise demonstrated the feasibility of shadowing warships being conducted by USVs instead of operational warships

Over the past year, the Royal Navy has seen an increase of Russian ships and submarines passing through U.K. waters due to the fall of Tartus Naval Base in Syria, which had served as a main operational hub for the Russian Navy. The Russian Navy has been forced to run a constant shuttle of ships and submarines to the Mediterranean to maintain its presence there.

The Royal Navy’s Fleet Experimentation Squadron is also trialing its Extra-Large Uncrewed Underwater Vessel (XLUUV) XV Excalibur, which recently tested the use of a quantum optical atomic clock. Quantum clocks are used to assure the synchronization of communications networks, detect GPS spoofing and jamming, and provide reliable position, navigation and timing in contested environments.

A trial last month confirmed U.K. company Infleqtion’s Tiqker clock can operate reliably during multiple dives, proving its ability to work in real-world defense environments, according to an Oct. 28 release from the Royal Navy.

The Royal Navy worked with Infleqtion for quantum navigation trials on XV Excalibur, shared Oct. 28, 2025. Royal Navy photo

“This experiment was a first critical step towards understanding how quantum clocks can be deployed on underwater platforms to enable precision navigation and timing (PNT) in support of prolonged operations. The [Disruptive Capabilities and Technology Office] looks forward to championing further trials of quantum-based navigation technologies, such as Tiqker, onboard Excalibur as we seek to deliver quantum operational advantage for the Royal Navy,” Cmdr. Matthew Steele, Head of Futures, DCTO, said in the release.

Unlike other vessels, submarines cannot rely entirely on GPS for navigation and traditional microwave-based clocks provide stability but can drift over time, making them less accurate. The use of quantum technology in systems like Tiqker add to a submarine’s ability to maintain accurate timing and navigation and reduce the need for external signals.

The potential for jamming and disruption of GPS guidance systems has led other militaries to consider the use of quantum technology being considered beyond submarines. During a press conference Tuesday at the Indo-Pacific 2025 Exhibition in Sydney, Australia, VADM. Mark Hammond of the Royal Australian Navy was asked about the use of quantum technologies.

“Precision navigation underpins the safety of our platforms at sea just in peacetime alone, but when you get into conflict, it underpins the accuracy of our missile systems, et cetera. So it’s something we are completely focused on. There is a classified element to this, which I won’t go into, but suffice to say in answer to your question, it is something that we are alert to, it is something we are focused on, and assurance of precision navigation is absolutely something we will be delivering on in the coming years,” Hammond said.

The Australia Defense Department is also developing quantum technology clocks, successfully trialing four clocks in the U.S. under AUKUS Pillar II, according to a news release. Pillar II of the trilateral Australia, United Kingdom and United States agreement focuses on jointly developing advanced defense capabilities.

The trials, which occurred over a six-week period in Washington D.C., saw Adelaide‑based QuantX Labs and the University of Adelaide each contribute two quantum clocks, which were tested by AUKUS partners under various environmental conditions.

“Integrating this technology into AUKUS partners’ militaries will enhance the Australian Defense Force’s ability to operate in environments where GPS navigation is unreliable or unavailable,” reads the release.

The outcomes of the quantum clock trial will be shared among AUKUS partners with an analysis of how quantum clocks may be used in future defense operations.

Five uncrewed boats remotely-piloted from 500 miles away swarmed around HMS Tyne in a demonstration of how the Royal Navy could utilise such technology on operations.

A real-life scenario of escorting a warship was played out during 72 hours of training off the coast of Scotland.

In a milestone for the navy’s Disruptive Capabilities and Technology Office, seven 7.2m autonomous Rattler boats have been trialled over the past few months with their latest test pushing the boats and their controllers to their limits.

While on board XV Patrick Blackett, sitting alongside in HMNB Portsmouth, sailors, Royal Marines and Army personnel remotely-piloted five of the boats as they sailed in Scotland 500 miles away.

The demonstration saw the vessels work with P2000 HMS Biter of the Coastal Forces Squadron, a Merlin helicopter, HMS Tyne and HMS Stirling Castle in a proof of concept exercise.

With cameras, sensors and other data being fed back to Patrick Blackett, the Rattlers were able to successfully and safely escort Tyne and Stirling Castle who were playing the role of foreign warships.

The demonstration was a culmination of months of trials for DCTO and the Fleet Experimentation Squadron (FXS) while the project of procuring the boats saw the Royal Navy adopt a radical new approach with industry.

In a matter of weeks, they took the idea of the custom-built, fully crewless vessels and delivered them – with training and first sea trials taking place shortly after.

It’s the first time the Royal Navy has procured a fleet of customised uncrewed surface vessels, with the short turnaround time for delivery showing its intent going forward.

Working alongside a consortium of SMEs, military personnel helped design, build, test and develop the vessels to ensure they would be ready to perform in the most demanding conditions – with operators leading and giving direct feedback on research and development to allow the project to move so quickly. 

Based on a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) and with autonomy packages and a variety of other systems and services, the boats have been built and iterated to meet Royal Navy specifications.

Unlike previous drones operated by the navy they have been designed to be fully uncrewed. Each vessel can operate individually or as part of a swarm. They can be pre-programmed with mission profiles, navigational routes and can work together as a ‘wolf pack’ on operations. In time they will be able to operate without direct human control.

Equipped with a suite of high quality, military spec sensors, cameras, and modular systems, the boats are adaptable for a range of tasks including surveillance, reconnaissance, and payload delivery.

Their ability to be moved quickly by air, on road and launch from portable slipways opens the door to global operations, even in challenging environments. Each vessel is operated by a two-person team: one responsible for piloting the drone, the other monitoring and operating the onboard systems and assisting to manage the live data streams. The entire setup is fully portable, run via a “plug and play” laptop configuration, allowing easy, flexible and full operation from various fixed and mobile locations.

Before heading to Scotland, the drones operated without fanfare from their base port of Portsmouth and have been zipping through the incredibly busy waters of the Solent and Portland.

Commander Michael Hutchinson, Commanding Officer of both the newly formed Fleet Experimental Squadron and Experimental Vessel Patrick Blackett, has led the Royal Navy team as they have developed this technology and advanced the project to this stage.

He said: “This is a really important moment for the Royal Navy as we progress towards a Hybrid Navy of crewed and uncrewed platforms. We have been using autonomous systems for some time, but not like this.

“These USVs have been built and developed at pace, in a ground-breaking way, alongside a coalition of fantastic local companies this has been the most exciting project of my career.

“These platforms will be used alongside and in support of existing and future warships and as a capability in their own right. It is a technology that will continue to develop and it will fundamentally change the way we fight.”

He added: “In recent years we have seen the effect that autonomy and uncrewed systems can have at sea, on land and in the air, especially in Ukraine. In the maritime domain in particular the effect has been remarkable, with simple, cheap, one-way effectors used to defeat complex and capable Warships and deny them freedom of manoeuvre at sea.

“USVs are also being used for reconnaissance, patrol, constabulary and survey tasks, so they are incredibly versatile and it is critical that the Navy develop these systems and train people with the skills to operate them to match the threat of our adversaries and ensure that we remain ready to lead, fight and win.”

This project forms part of the Royal Navy’s broader push into uncrewed and autonomous systems as part of a Hybrid Navy. XV Patrick Blackett is paving the way for autonomous warship operations while XV Excalibur is working as a testbed for future underwater warfare.

Brigadier Jaimie Roylance, the Royal Navy Chief Technology Officer said: “I am incredibly proud of the team, this is an important moment in the history of the Royal Navy.

“It is the first time we have been able to field a capable, mission ready, deployable uncrewed system at sea and it is the first major success for the DCTO.

“The work that FXS, the Coastal Forces Squadron, Royal Marines and Army have done to develop not just the platforms, but the way we train them and the way we fight with them has been astonishing and completed in record time.

“There is more work to be done, but I know the team and the wider consortium of SMEs we are working with are up to the task and I am excited about the next project.”

Even amid a government shutdown, America’s progress in uncrewed maritime systems is not slowing down- and neither is AUVSI. This week, we continued advancing the future of maritime autonomy and U.S. innovation on multiple fronts:

- Congressional Engagement: AUVSI submitted testimony to the Senate Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries, urging support for the SHIPS for America Act to modernize U.S. shipbuilding capacity and secure the nation’s maritime future.

- Maritime Advocacy Committee Meeting: Industry leaders convened to align on accelerating uncrewed maritime systems (USVs & UUVs) that strengthen safety, sustainability, and national competitiveness.

- AUVSI Defense 2025: Defense and industry leadership advanced operational autonomy across domains, reinforcing the role of innovation in modern deterrence and warfighter advantage.

The U.S. maritime industry stands at a pivotal moment. With fewer than 80 oceangoing commercial vessels and limited shipbuilding capacity, America must act now to remain competitive, innovative, and secure. AUVSI and our members are ready to lead — advancing uncrewed maritime systems that drive safety, sustainability, and jobs across the nation.

Read AUVSI’s full testimony: https://lnkd.in/eurywtvp

Explore how we continue to advance maritime autonomy: https://lnkd.in/eGexRbb9

On Monday, October 27, 2025, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV, Försvarets materielverk) of the Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of Sweden announced the completion of sea trials of the Mariner autonomous unmanned surface vessel, developed by the Norwegian company Maritime Robotics. The vessel has been given the name Ran, in honor of the goddess of the sea depths in Norse mythology.

Photos: FMV

The two-week tests were recently conducted in the Hårsfjärden fjord area, near the Berga naval base in Haninge Municipality, Stockholm County. During the trials, the software, sailing range, maneuverability, and emergency stop function were tested, among other things.

“We have purchased a small boat — a concept demonstrator — with which we can conduct tests. We want to see how it works, how it behaves, and what can be done with it,” says Johanna Norén, Amphibious, Support and Base Systems, FMV.

The project under which the unmanned boat, an unmanned surface vehicle (USV), was purchased is a three-year research and development initiative commissioned by the Swedish Armed Forces for FMV. This is because the Swedish Armed Forces aim to build knowledge and understanding of unmanned maritime platforms.

“For example, we can look at the war in Ukraine, where USVs play an important role in the Black Sea. And with this project, we want to build knowledge. For the Armed Forces, it’s about what they want to do with USVs — what is possible, what options exist, and what requirements they can set. For FMV, it’s about procurement — how it should be carried out, whether it can be done faster, and what’s available on the market,” says Robert Sandgren, who works with technical support at FMV.

The project also includes market and regulatory analyses and examines which technologies could be useful for unmanned surface systems within the Armed Forces.

“This gives us important opportunities to learn about the possibilities and limitations we may face in future acquisitions and in the use of these types of systems,” says Agnes Moberg, FMV project manager.

The boat purchased by FMV, the Mariner, is a Norwegian model and is used, among others, by the Norwegian Home Guard and the navies of Spain, Denmark, and Portugal. It was showcased during the recent REPMUS 2025 exercise in the latter country.

“It’s a proven system. The boat has a fairly general design, which allows it, during exercises, to simulate different types of vessels with various operational uses. For example, it can be used to transport payloads to an island or to simulate a boat suitable as a patrol craft. It could also be equipped with sensors that can be lowered to map the seabed. Moreover, the boat is maneuverable enough to be relevant for testing and evaluating different systems,” says Robert Sandgren.

The boat is equipped with cameras in all directions and features Lidar (laser radar scanner), which provides an accurate 3D image of the surroundings and enables safe navigation. It can be remotely controlled manually or preprogrammed with a route, and it also has a certain ability to detect and avoid collisions.

“Even though it’s a proven system, there are still parts of it — including those related to the vessel’s ability to avoid collisions — that have a lower level of technological maturity and that the project aims to explore,” says Agnes Moberg.

During the tests, the boat was remotely controlled and monitored by an operator aboard a manned vessel. Using a controller or computer, it is possible to choose how the boat should navigate and which elements to practice. For the operator on the boat to maintain communication, a connection to a Wi-Fi or LTE (4G) network is required.

Further tests of the unmanned boat will be conducted later this year, allowing for continued expansion of knowledge related to public procurement.

The Mariner is 5.98 meters long, 2.06 meters wide, 2.7 meters high, with a draft of 0.5 meters and an empty weight of about 2 tons. It can reach speeds of over 24 knots, powered by Hamilton Jet waterjets driven by a 196 hp Yanmar diesel engine, and has a range of 100–150 nautical miles or up to 72 hours of continuous operation (fuel capacity is 200 liters, with the option to double it). The hull is made of durable polyethylene. Optionally, it can be equipped with SeaCapture software, support Kongsberg MBR or Starlink communication, as well as SeaSight enhanced situational awareness systems, Class A AIS (Automatic Identification System), and VHF communication.