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Perth-based advanced manufacturing start-up Hyperion Systems has unveiled what it describes as the southern hemisphere's first 3D-printed Uncrewed Surface Vessel, a 4.6-metre autonomous craft that can be produced in 40 hours compared with the four to six weeks required by traditional boat-building methods.
The vessel, dubbed ASTRA 460, was officially revealed by Western Australia Defence Industries Minister Paul Papalia at the Indian Ocean Defence and Security conference in Perth.
The craft is designed by WA marine architect Versatile Marine, manufactured by Hyperion using Large Format Additive Manufacturing with recycled polymer waste, and runs on the GAMA autonomy software platform developed by fellow Perth company Greenroom Robotics.
Hyperion is led by 27-year-old robotics engineer and founder Joshua Wigley, who says the vessel represents a step change in how Australia can produce sovereign defence and maritime assets.
“This dramatic reduction in production time highlights the transformative potential of additive manufacturing for rapid maritime capability and sovereign industrial resilience,” says Wigley.
"The ASTRA 460 demonstrates that we can go from digital design to water-ready vessel in a matter of days rather than months.
"This isn't a concept - it's a manufactured, autonomous-capable platform built with recycled materials on Australian soil."
The craft is designed for top speed of 40 knots, a cruising speed of 20 to 30 knots, and a range of 180 to 200 kilometres.
Hyperion says it is immediately provisioning to build 10 units a month and can scale production to more than 100 as demand requires.
A larger 8-metre prototype is planned for supply to an undisclosed European navy for a major naval exercise later this year.
Sea trials for the ASTRA 460 are expected to begin later this month.
Jacob Kleinman, ASTRA project manager at Hyperion, says the USV format offers a cost-efficient alternative to traditional crewed platforms for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, border protection and maritime security operations.
“USVs provide strong force-multiplication advantages," says Kleinman.
"They are significantly cheaper to build and operate than traditional crewed vessels, enable persistent maritime presence, and act as force multipliers for manned fleets.
“We see the ASTRA playing a key role supporting missions including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, border protection and security operations. Its modular payload capability also allows rapid reconfiguration for mission-specific roles.”
Greenroom Robotics' GAMA software, which powers the vessel's self-navigation capability, recently received an approval in principle from global classification society Bureau Veritas - described as the first such certification granted for autonomous navigation technology.
Greenroom Robotics co-founder and COO Harry Hubbert says his company's autonomy stack is ideally suited to Hyperion’s rapidly reconfigurable 3D printed USV platforms.
“In contested environments, the ability to quickly adapt a vessel to meet evolving mission requirements delivers a significant asymmetric advantage,” says Hubbert.
“Hyperion’s 3D printed USVs can deliver almost real-time customisation to suit the specific operating context.
“In a matter of days, a vessel can be printed, autonomy enabled and on the water. This opens up endless possibilities for rapid, scalable and distributed maritime defence.”
Hyperion has built its reputation on a string of Australian firsts.
The company 3D printed Australia's first boat hull - a 3-metre vessel completed in 36 hours - and produced Australia's largest 3D-printed structure, a public artwork installed at Kalgoorlie TAFE in Western Australia.
The startup has also secured a $385,000 matched-funding grant through the Australian Government's Innovation Growth Program to commercialise its deployable manufacturing system, known as the TitanCell.
The transportable unit is designed to bring large-format 3D printing capability to remote or forward-deployed locations, effectively functioning as a factory in a box.
David Budge, co-founder of ASX-listed metal 3D printing company Aurora Labs (ASX: A3D), is an early investor in Hyperion and now serves as its chief technology officer.
The company says its immediate focus is on completing sea trials, ramping ASTRA 460 production and delivering the 8-metre prototype ahead of the European naval exercise later this year.
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