Uncrewed Ocean Surface Vehicle (USV)
This tender closed on 23 October 2026.
- Buyer
- Cardiff University
- Value
- £100,000
- Closed
- 23 October 2026
- Where
- Cardiff, Wales
- Type
- Open tender
In plain English
Cardiff University is buying an uncrewed surface vehicle (USV), a remote-controlled boat used for teaching and research in marine science and surveying. It needs to be portable, fit in the back of a pickup truck, run for 7 hours on battery, and work with their existing sonar equipment.
What the buyer wants
• Supply a person-portable, modular USV capable of remote and autonomous operation from shore • System must fit in a standard SUV or pickup, have minimum 7-hour battery endurance, and support hot-swappable batteries • Must be compatible with NORBIT multibeam sonar, include collision avoidance, pre-programmed navigation, and real-time parameter editing • Deliver a complete, low-maintenance platform ready for undergraduate teaching and postgraduate research in coastal, port, estuary and inland waters
Requirements
What could rule a small business out: This is a specialist marine robotics procurement requiring significant engineering expertise, proprietary autonomous vehicle development, and sonar integration: a typical small trades business (builder, cleaner, electrician) would be completely unqualified to bid.
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