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An unmanned boat that will eventually be used to spy at sea has had its first trial run this week on the Thames.
The 32ft vessel – with the snappy title Maritime Autonomy Surface Testbed, or Mast for short – can be controlled by remote control or operated without guidance. However, for its jaunt on the Thames on Tuesday, it had a coxswain on board.
It also had to adhere to speed limits, which wasn’t very exciting.
Mast and its escort HMS Archer took the trip down the river as part of preparations for the Royal Navy’s Unmanned Warrior exercise this autumn, where military drones of all descriptions will be brought together in events off the coasts off west Wales, the Western Isles and north-west Scotland.
We’re sure the team is looking forward to it, after a successful test in London.
