This week at the Indian Ocean Defence and Security Conference (IODS) in Perth, Australia, Hyperion Systems is making quite the splash. There, the Australian LFAM specialist is not only publicly showcasing for the first time its TitanCell system, a self-contained production cell equipped with large-scale robotic 3D printing, it has also unveiled a 4.6-meter-long 3D printed Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV)—the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

The 3D printed drone boat, called ASTRA 460, was designed by shipbuilding company Versatile Marine and is powered by an autonomous navigation and control system from Greenroom Robotics. Relevantly for us, the hull of the USV was 3D printed using Hyperion Systems’ robotic LFAM technology and recycled polymer material.

Thanks to the use of AM, the ASTRA 460 can be manufactured more efficiently than if it were made using traditional boat-building techniques. According to Hyperion Systems’ CEO Joshua Wigley, the production time for the ASTRA 460 hull can be as little as 40 hours using LFAM, whereas a conventionally made hull could take up to six weeks. “This dramatic reduction in production time highlights the transformative potential of additive manufacturing for rapid maritime capability and sovereign industrial resilience,” he said.

The ASTRA 460 drone boat joins a very small number of 3D printed USVs. The first, to our knowledge, was the HYDRA USV, a five-meter boat unveiled in 2023 by Al Seer Marine, a UAE-based shipbuilder. In the Netherlands, a maritime research group has also been testing SeaRush, a 3D printed USV that the country’s navy is investigating. This type of autonomous vessel is gaining in popularity globally as USVs offer a low-risk way to boost maritime surveillance and reconnaissance without the need for on-site personnel.

As ASTRA project manager Jacob Kleinman elaborated: “USVs provide strong force-multiplication advantages. They are significantly cheaper to build and operate than traditional crewed vessels, enable persistent maritime presence, and act as force multipliers for manned fleets.”

The 4.6-meter boat is set to undergo a series of sea trials which will confirm its expected capabilities. Among these capabilities are a top speed of 40 knots, a cruising speed of 20-30 knots, a distance range of 180-200 km, and the ability to handle various sea conditions. From a functional perspective, the USV can be used to various ends thanks to a modular payload, including small-team transport, surveillance, reconnaissance, and more.

Hyperion Systems will be manufacturing ASTRA USV boat hulls at its facility in Henderson, Western Australia. In terms of scale, Wigley said that the company is currently planning to build 10 units a month, however it is equipped to scale production to over 100 units/month. In addition to ramping up production of the 4.6-meter hull, the company is also developing an eight-meter prototype, which will be supplied to a European navy for a “major naval exercise” later this year.

While production will commence in Henderson, Hyperion Systems also emphasizes the ability to print the boats practically anywhere thanks to its new TitanCell containerized production system. The factory-in-a-box is equipped with Hyperion’s robotic LFAM system and a recycled polymer technology that enables the deployment of large-scale 3D printing in various settings, including remote regions and disaster-affected areas. The company emphasizes that the system can accommodate hard-to-recycle plastics, which opens the door to using material recovered from “decommissioned resources industry infrastructure”.

The TitanCell is not only suitable for 3D printing USV hulls, the containerized system can also be deployed for the production of other marine infrastructure like culverts, modular housing components, and more. The system has an extrusion rate of up to 30 kg of material per hour and can print up to 4 x 2 x 2 meters (with the possibility to extend).