ReefCat ASV

The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) were after a capable autonomous surface vessel (ASV) to act as their data-gathering workhorse in partially protected areas such as the Great Barrier Reef.

Deployed and recovered from their motherships, this vessel needed to be large enough for stability in rough conditions like those seen around the outer reefs, while having full-day mission endurance, and being compact enough to crane and trailer.

Pipar saw the opportunity to develop a fully custom-designed ASV, that would be the only vessel capable of meeting AIMS's requirements. 

The ReefCat 3.0 is a AMSA class 2C catamaran, electrically powered with 12 kW of thrust, and 18 kWh of onboard battery storage. Capable of operating for over 20 hours at a survey speed of 3 knots, it can carry 30 kg of surface payload or 50 kg of submerged haulage. 

Its 3 m long semi-SWATHy hulls are made of carbon fibre by renowned shipbuilders Norman Wright & Sons, and the main structural components are also carbon fibre. Fully designed, fabricated and assembled in QLD, ReefCat can operate in tough ocean conditions with ease.

Equipped with Starlink, 4G/5G, Wi-Fi, and local 900 Mhz radio, the vessel can be operated or supervised from any location on Earth. Onboard 3D lidar, underwater sonar and AIS form the backbone of fully automated collision avoidance, and all critical equipment on the vessel is fully redundant.

The design, build, and operational commisioning of ReefCat represented the perfect opportunity for Pipar's unique combination of mechanical, electrical, and control system design excellence, to create a bespoke, world-class vessel, unmatched in capability. 

ReefCat now forms a key part of AIMS's data collection operations, with plans to expand the fleet.

Pipar can design and build a bespoke vessel to suit any customer and any environment.