March 10^th, 2026 London, United Kingdom — At Oceanology International 2026, one of the world’s leading events for the global ocean industry, OceanAlpha unveiled its new 24-meter-class V180 USV–ROV System, designed to support deep and offshore subsea operations.

The V180 USV–ROV System is a deep-sea unmanned operational platform integrating a DP2-enabled offshore USV, and a work-class ROV dedicated for subsea inspection,maintenance, and repair missions up to 3,000 meters.

An Integrated Platform for Diverse Ocean Missions

At the core of the system is the V180 deep-sea operation USV , a multi-purpose unamaned platform with a full-load displacement of 180 tonnes. Featuring a dual-moonpool configuration and an open deck layout, the platform enables flexible deployment of a wide range of mission modules, including a 2-tonne work-class ROV integrated into the system architecture.

The system supports subsea operations at depths of up to 3,000 metres and offers an endurance of up to 30 days, allowing rapid transition between deep-sea engineering, subsea surveying, and oceanographic research missions.

From offshore oil and gas infrastructure inspection and offshore wind farm construction to marine scientific exploration, the V180 USV–ROV System delivers stable and reliable operational performance across multiple offshore applications.

Flexible Operations for Offshore Robotics

The V180 USV supports three operational modes—autonomous navigation, remote control, and crewed operation—allowing flexible deployment according to mission requirements and regulatory conditions.

Compared with conventional crewed offshore vessels, the unmanned design significantly reduces the need for crew accommodation and working spaces, enabling greater capacity for mission equipment and fuel. Combined with a hybrid power system and extended endurance, the platform can substantially reduce day-to-day operational costs and logistical complexity while lowering carbon emissions during operations.

This provides a more economical, efficient, and environmentally responsible solution for offshore activities, aligning with global sustainability goals.

Keeping People Off High-Risk Offshore Worksites

Safety was a central consideration in the design of the system. The V180 is equipped with a DP2 dynamic positioning system, enabling high-precision station-keeping during operations, and features a dual Starlink satellite communication system to support shore-based remote control.

Operators can precisely control both the USV and the deployed ROV from an onshore control center. This operational approach eliminates the need for personnel to work in hazardous sea states and high-risk offshore environments, effectively removing human exposure to operational risks and significantly reducing the likelihood of injury.

Pinestone Shi, General Manager of OceanAlpha, said:

Only a very limited number of projects worldwide are currently exploring USVs in the 24-meter class for work-class ROV collaboration due to the significant engineering challenges involved in integrating offshore-class vessel architecture, autonomous navigation systems, dynamic positioning capability, and ROV launch and recovery systems into a fully unmanned platform.

Against this backdrop, the introduction of the V180 USV–ROV System represents a major step forward in enabling unmanned deep-sea operations and expanding the role of USVs in offshore engineering.

Building a Comprehensive USV Portfolio for the Ocean Industry

In recent years, OceanAlpha has steadily expanded and refined its unmanned surface vessel portfolio to meet the evolving needs of the ocean industry. The debut of the V180 USV–ROV System marks a significant milestone, representing a comprehensive breakthrough in OceanAlpha’s offshore unmanned operational capabilities while further completing its USV product ecosystem.

Today, OceanAlpha offers a full spectrum of USV platforms ranging from the 4.5-meter M40P, the 7.5-meter L25, and the 8.5-meter L42, to the 24-meter V180 USV-ROV system, as well as the upcoming 15-meter V11 USV-ROV system. This tiered fleet structure enables mission coverage from nearshore environments to extended offshore and deep-sea operations.

Across this product family, operational capabilities scale progressively—from single-sensor payload to multi-sensor integration; from fixed mounting to dynamic deployment, recovery, and towing operations; and from USV swarming to cross-domain collaboration between USVs and ROV. This evolution of the capability ladder reflects OceanAlpha’s deep expertise in the marine sector, its industry-leading research and development strength, and one of the most comprehensive unmanned maritime solution portfolios on the market today.