James Spencer, CEO of Shift Coastal Technologies, said: “Working to build the first ever autonomous vessel to be procured by the Canadian Coast Guard is something our whole team is very proud of. There is a lot of competition in this emerging field, and expectations high. Passing all the testing requirements was a huge accomplishment for our team.”
About the System
To meet the emerging technology needs of the Canadian Coast Guard, the OceanSled® Ranger autonomous surface vessel, and the Coastal Intelligence Management System (CiMS) software was evaluated and procured based on its unique capabilities and adaptability. The OceanSled Ranger is a shallow water, multi-mission ASV. The Canadian Coast Guard intends to use the OceanSled for marine emergencies, including missing persons and coastal environmental protection. With its rugged design, it can remove personnel from dangerous nearshore and intertidal environments. Its modular architecture allows seamless integration of sensors, including surface and subsea cameras for improved marine domain awareness during a marine incident.
The software system can be deployed locally or in the cloud, and ingests, fuses, and visualizes crucial data from remotely operated systems, providing real-time insights for decision-making during critical operations. The OceanSled is designed to be operated from remote coastal locations to provide real-time information to assist responders in making decisions and managing response resources effectively.
Shift Coastal Technologies worked closely with coastal communities including the T’Sou-ke First Nation marine team during the design and testing phases of the OceanSled. In addition to testing the system in territorial waters, they share a common goal:
safeguarding coastal waters through sustainable solutions that balance technological innovation with cultural preservation.
Upon delivery to the Canadian Coast Guard at Haida Gwaii, the system offered a simple, reliable, and user-friendly package that is rapidly deployable by emergency teams. Throughout the design and testing processes, Coast Guard personnel from Coast Guard Central division had multiple meetings in person and on the water to gather important feedback and collaborate on final system design. The package includes integration of aerial and surface vessel imagery, as well as sensor data into a common operating picture, representing a significant advancement for the Canadian Coast Guard. Ongoing testing and evaluation of the platform by the Canadian Coast Guard in remote locations across the country guide further development by Shift Coastal Technologies.
The Canadian Coast Guard is committed to adopting cutting-edge technology, that reduces costs and expands capabilities. Autonomous vessels are not replacing skilled mariners—instead they are going to help them make informed decisions in difficult conditions, and multiply coastal response abilities for Canada’s vast and remote coastlines.
