![](https://www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/QIGU2DWCALSERQ3RSRW7CFYUVE.jpg?quality=85&w=1476)
![](https://www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/QIGU2DWCALSERQ3RSRW7CFYUVE.jpg?quality=85&w=1476)
From a distance, the Hydra looks like a jet ski that’s lost its rider. The result of a partnership between Al Seer Marine and 5G International, the Hydra is an unmanned surface vessel (USV) or, in common parlance, a sea drone. The vehicle debuted at the International Defense Exposition in Abu Dhabi and completed its first sea trials.
Almost 14 feet long and just over 5 feet wide, the Hydra is designed as a harbor patrol vessel. To that end it can carry up to 550 pounds of sensors, including cameras, radar, and sonar, all of which can screen for submarines and other incoming vessels in nearby waters. As planned, Hydra has a top speed of 57 miles per hour and will patrol for durations of around 21 hours. It’s small size means that larger vessels can carry it, as well.
Hydra descends from a long line of robot boats (“roboats”), and like many of them, it’s made to do boring tasks, dangerous tasks, and time consuming tasks. Patrolling harbors or around larger vessels can be all of these. To make it even less work for the grunt in charge of security for a megayacht, two Hydras can be controlled remotely at once.