The Norwegian Defence Research Institute (FFI) is a civilian institution directly subordinate to the Ministry of Defence. FFI in Horten is home to one of the country's leading expertise environments within maritime technology. Here, 60 researchers and engineers work to develop solutions that will help make the defence as future-oriented and efficient as possible.

One of the most exciting projects FFI is working on is the self-driving vessel Odin. The vessel is fully loaded with smart technology from FFI that allows it to carry out operations on its own.

SELF-PROPELLING MINE DEMOLITION

Today, the Navy uses large manned vessels for mine clearance, where ships and crews sail into mine-prone waters to clear them. With the development of Odin, such operations will become much safer to carry out in the future. Odin will be launched from a mother ship and operate forward inside the mine-prone area.

“One of the advantages of using unmanned boats like Odin for clearing sea mines is that the Navy's personnel can be kept outside the mine-hazardous area. This makes mine clearance much safer for the sailors,” says Morten Nakjem, research manager for maritime mine warfare at FFI.

ALWAYS ON THE WATER

From its base in Horten, FFI mainly works on maritime projects for the Navy, and proximity to the sea is particularly important for the institute.

– The sea is our most important laboratory. We are constantly out on the fjord testing all the technology we develop. The fact that we are located here in Horten, with immediate proximity to the Oslofjord, is crucial for us, explains Nakjem.

COLLABORATION WITH OTHER LOCAL COMPANIES

FFI also collaborates well with other local players in the development of new and groundbreaking technology.

– We work closely with Kongsberg Maritim, which is also located in Horten, and have entered into a technology agreement with the company so that we make our technology available to them. This allows them to use the technology in their products, which has contributed to the development of the autonomous submarine Hugin, among other things, explains Nakjem.

ALSO WANTS TO SOLVE CIVIL TASKS

Autonomous vessels are very much in the spotlight. Nakjem explains that the technology FFI is developing has great potential not only for the Navy, but also within civilian shipping.

– For the civilian sector, only the imagination sets the limits. We are already seeing prototypes being developed, both small autonomous ferries and large autonomous cargo ships, that use the same type of technology. In the future, we will see more self-driving vessels in many areas of maritime transport, says Nakjem.