China develops high-speed unmanned sea vessel

Beijing: China has developed a high-speed, intelligent unmanned sea vessel which can be used for a host of applications including submarine detection.

The 10.25-meter-long "SeaFly-01" vessel completed a test at Nanhu Lake in Wuhan on October 27, state-run People's Liberation Army (PLA) Daily reported.

The vessel has a maximum speed of 45 knots.

It was built with carbon fibre material and is equipped with BeiDou communication navigation technology, it said. It is able to "learn" independently and avoid obstacles, among other functions, the report said.

The vessel is able to carry a photoelectric scout device, light weapons, sonar and other equipment, and can be used in a wide range of applications including coastal patrol, armed confrontation, submarine detection and water-quality monitoring, it added.