Ship monitoring and control system DUMS

marinepropulsionthruster

Overview
DEMCON unmanned systems develops an integrated software suite for remote, assisted, and autonomous USV operations. Its modular architecture combines mission planning and execution, ROC-based vessel control, situational awareness, safety and alert management, monitoring, logging, and diagnostics. From one environment, operators can plan missions, monitor vessel status, manage alerts, and select the appropriate control mode.

Capabilities summary
The suite supports direct remote control, assisted manoeuvring, dynamic positioning, waypoint navigation, track following, and autonomous navigation. Configurable safety functions include collision warning and avoidance, emergency stop handling, return-to-home, and system logging. The software is configurable for different vessels, missions, autonomy levels, and environments, including third-party and OEM platforms.

Key features

• Integrated ROC environment for mission planning, vessel control, alert handling and situational awareness
• Autonomous control and positioning: manual, assisted and autonomous modes, waypoint navigation, track following and Dynamic Positioning (DP)
• Safety, compliance and diagnostics: integrated safety logic, alert management, automated fail-safes and continuous logging

ROC helm and mission interface
The DEMCON Uncrewed Mission Software (DUMS) application functions as the primary ROC operator interface for mission planning, vessel monitoring, mission control and situational awareness. It provides an operational picture of vessel position, planned route, sailed track, system status, alerts, sensor overlays, communication links and the surrounding environment.

Core capabilities

• Mission planning and mission execution
• Operator control handover between connected users and ROCs
• Central/Bridge Alert Management (CAM/BAM), designed to support Resolution MSC.302(87)
• Integrated safety rules and safety actions framework
• Live vessel and subsystem monitoring
• Interface with DEMCON Mobile ROC infrastructure
• Multi-screen control room and multi-USV operation support
• Remote diagnostics and support interface

Control and navigation
The system provides manual, assisted, dynamic positioning and autonomous navigation modes for different mission phases and operating conditions. Operators can select the appropriate level of control, from direct remote operation during launch and recovery to autonomous route following, track keeping and positioning during survey or inspection missions.

Manual and assisted control modes
Available functions include:

• Wireless Control Unit (WCU) – Industrial manual joystick-based vessel control for launch, recovery and within line-of-sight close-range operations
• Keyboard remote control – Vessel control via keyboard, laptop or external desktop controller interface
• Assisted manoeuvring mode – Assisted control mode supporting operators in complex manual manoeuvres near objects, quay walls, docking areas or during recovery operations

Dynamic Positioning modes
Available functions include:

• Station keeping – Maintains vessel position at a fixed point with fixed heading
• Weathervaning – Aligns heading toward dominant environmental disturbance while maintaining position
• Virtual Anchor – Maintains position within a defined radius around a setpoint to reduce energy use

Mission and autopilot modes
Available functions include:

• Auto track – Follows predefined waypoint tracks with speed and heading control while minimising cross-track error
• Autopilot mode – Maintains a selected heading and thrust setting automatically
• Dynamic Position track – Follows a predefined track with independent heading control
• External waypoint control – Allows third-party survey, sensor or payload software to provide waypoint input using supported maritime data formats
• Collision Avoidance – Supports autonomous evasive manoeuvres based on real-time object detection and sensor-fusion input

Integrated safety systems
DEMCON integrated safety systems monitor vessel state, the operating environment, and mission execution. Configurable safety rules and controlled actions help operators respond to alerts, system events, and predefined exception scenarios while maintaining situational awareness and traceability.

Core safety capabilities

• Collision warning, avoidance, and object tracking
• Central/Bridge Alert Management (CAM/BAM)
• Autonomous Emergency Braking and remote emergency stop
• Configurable safety rules and controlled safety actions
• Return-to-Home and responses to communication loss
• Geofencing and pre-mission digital checklists

Logging, monitoring and diagnostics
DEMCON Logging and Monitoring Software provides local and/or cloud-based vessel and ROC data logging and storage, system status monitoring and diagnostic support. The DUS Diagnostics portal offers dashboards with real-time and historical insight into vessel subsystems, component status and operational performance.

Logged and monitored parameters

• Safety sensor data: water ingress, temperature, hatch status and vibration
• Vessel management data: power, propulsion, thrusters and batteries
• Control modes, setpoints and mission states
• Communication link status
• Software status, events and diagnostics
• Alerts, warnings and operator-relevant system notifications

Technical specifications

• Product name: DEMCON Uncrewed Mission Software (DUMS)
• Manufacturer / brand: DEMCON unmanned systems
• Architecture: Modular integrated suite combining mission planning, ROC, navigation, safety, monitoring and diagnostics
• Supported control modes: direct remote control, assisted manoeuvring, dynamic positioning, waypoint navigation, track following, autonomous navigation
• Safety features: collision warning & avoidance, emergency stop, autonomous emergency braking, CAM/BAM, configurable safety rules, geofencing, return-to-home
• Monitoring & diagnostics: local/cloud logging, DUS Diagnostics portal, real-time and historical dashboards
• Interoperability: configurable for different vessels, missions, autonomy levels, and third-party/OEM platforms