Lightning Protection of Autonomous Vessels

Increasing numbers of sea-going vessels are becoming “autonomous” in Australia and worldwide across a wide range of fields, such as oceanography, hydrography, off-shore oil and gas, scientific research, military surveillance, defence, aquaculture, etc. Such vessels are commonly referred to as “remotely operated and autonomous”, although terms such as “unmanned”, “remote controlled”, and “maritime autonomous vehicles” (MAVs) are also used.

To ensure that autonomous vessels are safe, efficient and have a minimal environmental impact, they deploy sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) systems onboard. These systems are responsible for navigation, steering, and collision avoidance. Unfortunately, these systems are also highly susceptible to lightning damage. It is rather obvious that such damage poses even greater risks than damage to manned vessels.

This presentation provides a comprehensive lightning mitigation approach that can be used to minimise the risk of damage to autonomous vessels. The comprehensive approach utilises the three key pillars of lightning protection, namely direct-strike protection, surge protection, and earthing & bonding.

A generic and practical lightning protection solution is provided for autonomous vessels using some of the outcomes of the latest international research on lightning protection and extensive experience with protecting all types of vessels over many years.