Scientific Systems Tests AI Autonomy Software with Fleet of Unmanned Boats

Scientific Systems announced in a press release that its distributed AI-powered OPTIMUS autonomy software successfully coordinated a fleet of nine unmanned surface vessels (USVs) during a recent ocean test. The demonstration showed the vessels performing collaborative mission activities such as wide-area searches and coordinated intercepts without centralized control.

The weeklong trial validated the system’s ability to enable a group of USVs to operate as an intelligent swarm, dynamically rerouting and avoiding obstacles while executing tasks. The OPTIMUS software integrates real-time sensing, processing, and AI-based decision-making in a fully decentralized framework.

During the test, a single remote operator defined mission parameters, while the vessels autonomously executed coordination and adaptation within the group. This decentralized design allows continued operation even when communications are degraded or lost, increasing resilience and scalability for maritime missions.

The company stated that the software is ready to support large-scale deployment of low-cost autonomous platforms. The test follows the July debut of the VENOM small Unmanned Surface Vehicle family, which integrates the same autonomy stack across multiple vessel models.