HD Hyundai demonstrates autonomous USV technology in US

HD Hyundai demonstrated autonomous unmanned surface vessel technology off Long Beach, California, recently. The company conducted the three-and-a-half-hour demonstration with U.S. defense AI firm Anduril Industries, showing autonomous navigation, mission changes, formation sailing and emergency responses. The 368-ton test ship used HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering’s VAone and Anduril’s Lattice platforms. The companies plan to pursue U.S. naval programs and the global USV market.

About 40 officials from Korea and the United States attended, including representatives from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Republic of Korea Navy and Defense Acquisition Program Administration.

The test ship was formerly operated by the U.S. Navy and was converted for unmanned operations.

VAone builds on HiNAS Prime, an autonomous navigation solution developed by Avikus, HD Hyundai’s autonomous navigation subsidiary.

The combined systems monitored engine conditions, detected abnormalities, responded to vessel damage and supported autonomous weapons operations.

Published Oct 19, 2026 11:35 am KST

Updated Oct 19, 2026 11:38 am KST

An unmanned surface vessel equipped with a system jointly developed by HD Hyundai and Anduril conducts a mission off Long Beach, Calif., in this undated photo. Courtesy of HD Hyundai

HD Hyundai has become the first Korean company to successfully demonstrate unmanned surface vessel (USV) technology in the United States, the company said Monday.

The shipbuilding group said it recently conducted a joint demonstration of autonomous navigation technology with U.S. defense artificial intelligence (AI) company Anduril Industries off the coast of Long Beach, California.

About 40 officials from Korea and the U.S. attended the event, including representatives from the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, the American Bureau of Shipping, the Republic of Korea Navy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.

The two companies demonstrated the vessel's capabilities in various maritime scenarios, including autonomous navigation, mission changes, formation sailing and emergency responses to engine failures.

The three-and-a-half-hour demonstration was relayed through a shore-based control center, allowing attendees to monitor the vessel's operations in real time.

The vessel was a 368-ton test ship formerly operated by the U.S. Navy and converted for unmanned operations. It was equipped with VAone, an integrated autonomy solution developed by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, and Lattice, Anduril's mission autonomy platform.

VAone builds on HiNAS Prime, an autonomous navigation solution developed by Avikus, HD Hyundai's autonomous navigation subsidiary. It includes systems that monitor engine conditions, detect abnormalities and respond automatically, as well as technology that detects vessel damage and initiates corrective measures autonomously.

By combining VAone with Lattice, the companies said they demonstrated a fully unmanned vessel capable of autonomous navigation, engine management, damage response and weapons operations.

The demonstration was particularly significant because the vessel autonomously made decisions and responded to changing conditions while carrying out complex missions in realistic maritime scenarios, they said.

Building on the results, the companies plan to pursue opportunities in U.S. naval programs and the broader global USV market, where demand has been rising.

“This demonstration was significant in that it confirmed the vessel's ability to carry out complex missions and respond to various real-world situations that may arise after departure,” said Jang Kwang-pil, executive vice president and head of the Future Technology Research Institute at HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering.

HD Hyundai近日在加利福尼亚州长滩附近海域展示了自主无人水面舰艇技术。该公司与美国国防人工智能公司Anduril Industries合作，进行了长达三个半小时的演示，展示了自主导航、任务切换、编队航行和应急响应等功能。这艘368吨的测试船采用了HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering的VAone平台和Anduril的Lattice平台。两家公司计划竞标美国海军项目并进军全球无人水面舰艇市场。

约有 40 名来自韩国和美国的官员出席了会议，其中包括美国海军、美国海岸警卫队、韩国海军和国防采办计划管理局的代表。

这艘试验船原为美国海军所有，后经改装用于无人操作。

VAone 基于 HiNAS Prime 构建，HiNAS Prime 是由 HD Hyundai 的自动驾驶导航子公司 Avikus 开发的自动驾驶导航解决方案。

该组合系统监测发动机状况，检测异常情况，对舰艇损坏做出反应，并支持自主武器作战。

发布于2026年10月19日上午11:35（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月19日上午11:38（韩国标准时间）

这张未注明日期的照片显示，一艘配备由HD Hyundai和Anduril联合开发的系统的无人水面艇正在加利福尼亚州长滩附近执行任务。照片由HD Hyundai提供。

HD Hyundai公司周一表示，该公司已成为第一家在美国成功展示无人水面舰艇（USV）技术的韩国公司。

该造船集团表示，最近与美国国防人工智能 (AI) 公司 Anduril Industries 在加利福尼亚州长滩海岸附近进行了自主导航技术的联合演示。

约有 40 名来自韩国和美国的官员参加了此次活动，其中包括美国海军和海岸警卫队、美国船级社、韩国海军和国防采办计划管理局的代表。

两家公司在各种海上场景中展示了该船的性能，包括自主导航、任务变更、编队航行和对发动机故障的紧急响应。

这场持续三个半小时的演示通过岸基控制中心进行转播，使与会者能够实时监控船舶的运行情况。

该船是一艘368吨的试验船，原为美国海军所有，后改装为无人操作船。它配备了由HD韩国造船海洋工程公司开发的集成自主解决方案VAone，以及Anduril公司的任务自主平台Lattice。

VAone 基于 HiNAS Prime 开发，HiNAS Prime 是由 HD Hyundai 旗下自动驾驶子公司 Avikus 开发的自动驾驶导航解决方案。它包含监测发动机状况、检测异常情况并自动做出响应的系统，以及检测船舶损坏并自主启动纠正措施的技术。

VAone 与 Lattice 的结合，使两家公司展示了一艘完全无人驾驶的船舶，该船舶能够自主导航、发动机管理、损伤响应和武器操作。

他们表示，此次演示意义尤为重大，因为该船能够在真实的海洋场景中执行复杂任务，并自主做出决策，应对不断变化的情况。

基于这些成果，这些公司计划寻求在美国海军项目和更广泛的全球无人水面艇市场中的机会，这些市场的需求一直在增长。

“这次演示意义重大，因为它证实了该船有能力执行复杂的任务，并能应对出发后可能出现的各种现实情况，”HD韩国造船海洋工程公司执行副总裁兼未来技术研究所所长张光弼表示。