NEWS & INSIGHTS

Earthtime has acquired an SL20 Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) from OceanAlpha (OCEANα), a global leader in USV technology. Earthtime also serves as OceanAlpha’s distributor for the Western African region. 

The SL20 will enhance Earthtime’s ability to overcome challenges commonly faced in traditional survey and sampling operations—particularly those of collecting samples from large river systems—by improving efficiency, cost-effectiveness, accuracy, and safety. Featuring a compact, lightweight hull and a shallow 15 cm draught, the SL20 can operate in environments inaccessible to many conventional vessels. It also supports flexible mounting options for various types of transducers. 

The USV offers dual control modes: precise manual operation via remote control and fully autonomous navigation through an integrated autopilot system. Its wide range of applications includes water sampling and monitoring, hydrographic surveying, marine biological observation, offshore wind route and site surveys,