Unmanned surface vehicles (USVs; also known as unmanned surface vessels (USVs) or (in some cases) autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs), or colloquially drone ships[1]) are boats that operate on the surface of the water without a crew

As early as the end of World War II, remote-controlled USVs were used[by whom?] in minesweeping applications.[3][page needed] Since then, advances in USV control systems and navigation technologies have resulted in USVs that an operator can control remotely (from land or from a nearby vessel):[4] USVs that operate with partially autonomous control, and USVs (ASVs) that operate fully autonomously.[3] Modern applications and research areas for USVs and ASVs include commercial shipping,[5] environmental and climate monitoring, seafloor mapping,[5][6] passenger ferries,[7] robotic research,[8] surveillance, inspection of bridges and other infrastructure,[9] military, and naval operations