USVA – Uncrewed Surface Vessels for Automated (USVA) Maritime Critical Infrastructure Protection

Uncrewed vessels for automated protection of critical infrastructure

Duration of the project

14.4.2025 – 30.6.2027

Source of funding

Business Finland

Total funding

1 287 559 €

The USVA project develops maritime surveillance capabilities for private infrastructure owners using unmanned surface vessels (USVA).

The USVA project will support the creation of a situational picture between authorities and critical infrastructure owners, thus facilitating the response if any abnormal activities and risks are detected. The conditions in Finland and the Baltic Sea require vessels to be able to operate in a dispersed archipelago in challenging weather conditions under GPS and communication jamming.

The USVA (Uncrewed Surface Vessels for Automated Critical Infrastructure Protection) project is developing unmanned surface vessel (USV) based maritime surveillance solutions for private critical infrastructure owners. The project aims to improve the surveillance of ports, offshore energy cables, telecommunication networks and wind turbines, especially in challenging weather conditions and during GPS or communication jamming.

The USVA project will support a situational picture for public authorities and infrastructure owners, which will facilitate the response to anomalies and risks. The project will also make use of drones operating in airspace and underwater environments to extend surveillance.

The project is coordinated by Turku University of Applied Sciences and is part of Patria’s eALLIANCE hydrogen programme, funded by Business Finland. The partners include Patria, Marine Alutech, Atostek, Brighthouse Intelligence, Nordic Inertial, Luode Consulting and the Turku and Laurea Universities of Applied Sciences.