5.3.1 USV Requirements
The following is a list of minimal requirements for a USV to be permitted access to a course.
USV General Requirements
Size: The USV must fit within a 2m x 1m x 1m (L x W x H) "box".
Weight: The entire maritime system must weigh less than or equal to 60kg.
Buoyant: The USV must be positively buoyant and hydrodynamically stable enough to operate safely in autonomous and manual modes, as well as when being towed during competition.
Visual Feedback System: The USV must have an onboard visual feedback system to clearly indicate the operational status of the system to improve the safety of competition operations.
This visual feedback system will serve as a visual status indicator to anyone in the vicinity of each team’s USV.
The visual feedback system must be able to display a minimum of three (3) states: RED, YELLOW, and GREEN, and provide a 360-degree daylight visibility when viewed from shore or nearby vessel (approximately 100 meters).
Lighting system colors shall correspond with the applicable mode of the team’s autonomous system as indicated in the table below. The lights may be flashing or steady on/off according to the state of the system.
USV Safety Requirements
USV Launch, Recovery, and Towing:
The USV must have a clearly marked multi-point tow harness installed at all times to allow competition staff to attach a rope and tow the system through the water. The harness must be accessible by competition staff who will be in kayaks or on small support boats.
Underslung harnesses will NOT be permitted.
The USV must have clearly marked lift point attachments and the team must provide a lifting harness. These will be used to launch and recover the systems for in-water operations.
USV Emergency Stop (Kill Switch) Systems:
The USV must have at least ONE (1) on-board physical kill switch that, when actuated, must instantaneously disconnect power from all propulsion systems and actuators. Note: this does not have to kill the onboard computer.
Kill switches must be red in color and at least 3cm or greater in diameter.
The kill switches must be easily accessible by competition staff in kayaks or on small support boats, either by hand or by using marine implements such as a boat hook or paddle.
When activated, the kill switch must change the on-board state indicator to solid RED.
Upon reactivation, the system must return to a safe state (props do not start spinning).
Systems will not be allowed in the water without a properly working kill switch.
In addition to the physical kill-switch, the USV must have at least one remote kill switch that, when actuated, must instantaneously disconnect power from all motors and actuators.
If the USV loses connection to the remote kill switch (such as loss of power or out of range), the USV must default to a state in which power is disconnected from all motors and actuators. (Section 5.2.3: Kill Switch Requirements)
An example of a suitable button for USVs can be found at www.mcmaster.com and is shown in the figure below.
USV Physical Safety Systems:
Any propulsion system may be used (thruster, paddle, etc.).
All propellers must be shrouded.
The shrouds must surround the prop and have at least a 5cm distance between the spinning disk of the prop and the edges of the shroud (front and back).
Commercial thrusters with integrated shrouds may be used as is.
If you have a guard across the opening to prevent the insertion of a finger, this distance can be reduced.
Systems will not be allowed in the water without prop shrouds.
All moving parts must have protection.
USV Manual Control Systems
Each USV must be remote-controllable (tele-operated) with its own dedicated remote control.
If the USV loses connection to its remote controller, the system must default to a state in which all motors and actuators are automatically commanded to 0% thrust or to an OFF state.
Driving the system using a laptop is NOT allowed.
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