Zhu Hai Yun
Galería
Descripción general
Chinese 88 m autonomous research ship built as a mothership that launches and recovers swarms of air, surface, and underwater drones.
Zhu Hai Yun is an 88.5 m autonomous research ship that China presents as the world's first drone mothership. Built by CSSC's Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding and delivered in 2023 to a Zhuhai marine-science laboratory, it has a 14 m beam, displaces about 2,000 tonnes, and reaches 18 knots on a diesel-electric plant driving two azimuth pods. Its large open stern deck and two A-frames carry and launch dozens of aerial drones, uncrewed boats, and underwater vehicles that together map and monitor a three-dimensional section of ocean tens of nautical miles across. In trials it navigated autonomously for 12 hours with obstacle avoidance and path planning, while a crew can take over for port manoeuvres. China describes it as a science vessel, but its ability to deploy coordinated drone swarms has drawn defence interest.
Roles principales
Notas
Built by CSSC subsidiary Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding and operated by the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai); Yunzhou Tech is credited with autonomy work. Published figures: 88.5 m length, 14 m beam, 3.7 m draught, about 2,000 tonnes displacement, diesel-electric with azimuth pods, 18 kn maximum. Chinese sources describe it as a research vessel; Western analysts note its military potential.
