DARPA's Robot Ship Slated For April Unveiling (nationaldefensemagazine.org)

93 Escort Wagon writes: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) plans to launch a 130-foot autonomous ship this year. The Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel will be the largest unmanned surface vehicle ever built at 130-feet long. It will be christened in April in Portland, Oregon, and then begin to demonstrate its long-range capabilities over 18 months in cooperation with the Office of Naval Research and the Space and Naval Systems Warfare Command.

My regards to Captain Dunsel.

Comments

no. Reasonable reward if ship in real peril

[raymorris]

In short, no. The vessel is still the property of the owner, as is all flotsam and jetsom.

A salvor IS entitled to reasonable compensation of the property is in "real peril". Reasonable is determined by imagining if the owner of the vessel and the salvor had time and opportunity to pre-negotiate a price for salvaging the vessel. The amount owed is roughly what they would have negotiated ahead of time, if they had the opportunity to do so, for rescuing the property. (Rescuing any people on board is separate law.)

Additionally, history suggests it is unwise to mess with a vessel of the US Navy. :)

Wonderful

[JimSadler]

Keeping sailors and soldiers and airmen out of harms way, while providing national defense, is a blessing for all in the US. Yet it is also an example of how human employment will decrease and points to the need to change fundamentals of society and economics.

any unarmed ship can be a minesweeper

[raymorris]

> One of its stated purposes is countering mines, which I'd think would require some sort of weaponry.

Any ship can be a minesweeper - once.

Re: Unmanned boat

[Anonymous Coward]

Not at all, salvage is a court of equity, not technicality.

Thus the question would be if the operator of the vessel needed your help.

Odds are they'd say...no, fuck off.