A milestone in maritime technology was marked today as PhD candidate Aleksey Gusev from the Shore Control Lab at Nyhavna, Trondheim, successfully demonstrated the remote operation of the autonomous ferry milliAmpere1. The project is linked to the Department of Design at NTNU, and the demonstration was carried out over Telia's groundbreaking 5G network.
Department of Design.
During the test, the ferry was remotely controlled from the control room at the Shore Control Lab. The two people on board, ready to take control if something went wrong, proved to be unnecessary. Gusev flawlessly controlled the autonomous ferry from shore, skillfully maneuvering it around other vessels in the area, taking a loop around the harbor basin at Nyhavna, and docking it safely again.
The technological solution impressed with a stable HD-quality transmission at 60 frames per second, with an impressive low latency of well under 200 milliseconds, even though the data packets were routed through Oslo first. This test run demonstrates that remote vessel control over the 5G network is reliable, marking an important step in the development of autonomous ships for the future.
“This is a major milestone for us,” stated Ole Andreas Alsos, head of the Shore Control Lab. “We have shown that the technology is mature and that we can operate remotely controlled vessels safely and efficiently over the 5G network. This could open up a range of new possibilities for maritime transport.”
The demonstration of milliAmpere1 is an important contribution to the future of autonomous and sustainable solutions at sea, showcasing Trondheim as a leader in the development of smart transport systems.
"This has opened a door that was previously closed. Even though the ferry is autonomous, it is important for safety that a safety operator can take over control from a land-based control room", says Erik Veitch, researcher at Shore Control Lab.
For further information, please contact:
Ole Andreas Alsos, Shore Control Lab, Department of Design, NTNU