Heron USV

Heron is Clearpath Robotics’ portable catamaran unmanned surface vessel for marine robotics research and field sensing. Folding pontoons reduce its transport footprint, while anti-fouling thrusters, a quick-swappable battery and a central payload bay support repeated deployment from shore by a small team.

The platform accepts submerged instruments through the payload bay or equipment mounted on deck. Built-in GPS and ROS interfaces support teleoperation, waypoint navigation and custom autonomy software. Researchers can integrate sonar, water-quality sensors and other marine payloads without redesigning the propulsion or control platform.