The Indian Navy has begun converting six patrol and support boats into fully autonomous Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) under a contract awarded to Pune-based marine-automation specialist Accurate Industrial Controls.

The contract was signed in 2022. Accurate has now completed the autonomy-stack development program, including five audited milestones, allowing the initial vessel-conversion phase to begin in September 2026.

Work on the first three boats is under way at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, following a feasibility assessment of the selected vessels.

The initial batch includes one 13-metre Fast Interceptor Craft (FIC), intended for coastal reconnaissance, and two 23-metre Immediate Support Vessels (ISVs).

The ISVs are designed to operate in open and mid-ocean waters alongside frigates and other major naval assets. Each has a stated operational range of 400 nautical miles.

The remaining three vessels under the six-boat contract will be converted in subsequent phases.

All six craft will receive Pune-based Accurate Industrial Control’s indigenous Intelligent Situational Awareness and Collision Avoidance, or ISACA, autonomy system.

ISACA combines radar, an inertial-navigation system, electro-optical and infrared sensors, remote command-and-control capability, and 360-degree situational awareness.

Its edge-computing architecture processes sensor data on board, enabling autonomous operation without an internet connection, cloud dependence, or a continuously embarked crew.

The system can interface directly with Mercury, Cox, and CAN/MODBUS-based propulsion equipment. Actuator-based integration also allows it to control steering and propulsion on vessels fitted with non-digital machinery.

Before receiving approval for operational conversions, Accurate built and tested two prototype USVs: a 13-metre interceptor craft and a five-metre search-and-rescue workboat.

Working with the Indian Navy, the two demonstrators completed 2,500 hours of sea, river, and controlled-water trials. These trials tested autonomous navigation and collision-avoidance performance, including demanding high-speed situations.

The Indian Register of Shipping has certified the ISACA stack to the IRS AUTN 4-R(N) standard following sea trials. The certification confirms compliance with the International Maritime Organisation’s International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.

An earlier 13-metre patrol boat fitted with ISACA at Mumbai’s SHM Shipyard also received certification after trials in the Arabian Sea off Karwar.

The Navy’s support included a guided development framework and controlled trial areas, helping Accurate validate the system under realistic maritime conditions.

Accurate says autonomous vessels fitted with ISACA could deliver persistent, round-the-clock maritime surveillance, coastal reconnaissance, and search-and-rescue support while keeping personnel away from high-risk zones.

The company also says the system’s low computing and energy requirements may reduce fuel consumption and operating costs, while millisecond-level response times support rapid decision-making.

Accurate intends to offer the ISACA autonomy stack to allied navies and coastguards for export, with potential interest identified in North Africa and the Middle East. It is also examining training and simulator partnerships with European organisations to support wider USV adoption.

Agencies