Polish USVs in action: how small autonomous vessels are mapping busy ports in real conditions

In the waters of the Port of Gdynia, small uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) are increasingly becoming part of everyday hydrographic operations. These are no longer experimental prototypes tested in controlled environments, but fully operational systems working in one of the most demanding maritime settings on the Polish Baltic coast.

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02 may 2026   |   09:24   |   Source: Gazeta Morska   |   Prepared by: Kamil Kusier   |   Print

fot. K2sea

Here, amid dense vessel traffic, shifting hydrodynamic conditions, and active port infrastructure, autonomous platforms are being used to collect high-resolution seabed data and support hydrographic workflows in real operational conditions.

One of the companies active in this space is K2sea, a Gdynia-based engineering firm specializing in uncrewed surface vessels and multibeam bathymetric survey systems.

Hydrography beyond the survey vessel paradigm

For decades, marine hydrography has relied on relatively large, crewed survey vessels equipped with multibeam echo sounders and dedicated operational teams. While highly accurate, this traditional model is resource-intensive, requiring significant logistics, fuel consumption, and operational planning.

The introduction of USVs is gradually reshaping this paradigm. Small autonomous platforms now enable more flexible deployment, shorter mobilisation times, and the ability to conduct repeated surveys in dynamic environments such as ports and coastal infrastructure zones.

The key shift, however, is not autonomy itself, but data continuity. Modern hydrographic operations increasingly rely on frequent, repeatable, high-precision seabed mapping rather than occasional large-scale survey campaigns.

Ports as real-world test environments

The Port of Gdynia serves as a particularly challenging testbed for USV operations. High traffic density, constrained navigation areas, and continuous port activity require systems capable of operating safely alongside commercial vessels, service craft, and naval units.

Unlike offshore trials in open waters, port-based missions introduce operational complexity at every level - navigation, communication, sensor stability, and real-time situational awareness.

As a result, each survey mission becomes not only a data acquisition task, but also a live validation of autonomy systems and operational reliability in constrained maritime environments.

Operational-grade bathymetric data

The core output of such systems is not the vessel itself, but the hydrographic data it produces. Using multibeam echo sounders, USVs collect dense seabed point clouds that are used for navigation safety, dredging planning, and port infrastructure development.

In the case of systems developed by K2sea, bathymetric data is processed and validated in accordance with standards recognised by hydrographic authorities, including certification workflows aligned with naval hydrographic requirements.

This distinction is critical: only verified, high-quality datasets can be used in official maritime safety and navigation planning processes.

Poland in the emerging USV landscape

Globally, uncrewed surface vessels represent one of the fastest-growing segments in maritime technology. Applications range from hydrographic surveying and offshore energy support to infrastructure inspection and defence-related operations.

While Poland is not yet a dominant global player in this field, it is steadily building a niche presence through specialised engineering companies working at the intersection of marine systems, automation, and geospatial data acquisition.

Rather than competing with large international defence or offshore conglomerates, these smaller engineering teams often focus on rapid iteration, field deployment, and close integration with end users such as port authorities and survey operators.

The future: autonomous, hybrid, or complementary systems?

Despite rapid progress in autonomy and navigation systems, full replacement of crewed hydrographic vessels remains unlikely in the near term. Environmental complexity, regulatory frameworks, and mission-specific requirements still demand human oversight and larger platforms for certain survey operations.

A more realistic trajectory is a hybrid operational model. In this framework, USVs handle repetitive, high-frequency surveys in constrained environments such as ports, while traditional vessels focus on complex offshore or high-endurance missions.

In this configuration, small autonomous vessels do not replace existing systems - they extend them, increasing overall survey capacity and operational efficiency.

The deployment of USVs in Polish waters is not occurring in laboratories or demonstration basins, but in active ports where operational reliability is constantly tested against real maritime conditions.

In locations such as Gdynia, autonomous surface vessels are transitioning from experimental technology to practical hydrographic tools, contributing to a broader shift in how seabed data is collected, validated, and used in maritime operations.

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bezzałogowe jednostki pływające USV hydrografia i pomiary batymetryczne Port Gdynia technologie morskie autonomiczne systemy morskie drony morskie i technologie offshore

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