World’s First
Autonomous Oil Boom Delivery System
System operates non-crewed, in real time, controlled by RSA’s algorithm through satellite, drone, and onboard sensor data
- Rapidly deploys dedicated autonomous vessels to surround and contain an oil spill with boom within minutes, holding the oil in place until skimmer vessels arrive to begin recovery.
- Continuously reshapes the boom as the spill moves with wind, waves, and currents.
- Works with all existing boom that can be wound onto reels.
- Boom sections can be linked together to handle very large or spreading spills.
- Reduces response time, lowers risk to crews, and helps protect shorelines, ports, and marine ecosystems.
Reduces fines from uncontrolled oil spills
CURRENT PROBLEMS WITH DEPLOYING OIL BOOM
Heavy equipment: Boom sections are bulky and can weigh hundreds of pounds, requiring cranes, powered reels, or several crew members to handle safely.
Working on moving vessels: Crew members are often on small workboats that pitch and roll, increasing the risk of slips, falls, or being struck by equipment.
Time pressure: During a spill, crews are expected to deploy boom quickly to prevent oil from spreading, often while coordinating with multiple boats.
Weather and sea conditions: Wind, waves, currents, rain, darkness, and cold can make deployment much more difficult.
Boom tension: As the boom is towed, it comes under significant load. If a tow line or connector fails, it can recoil dangerously.
Oil exposure: Workers may be exposed to oil, fumes, and contaminated water, requiring protective equipment and decontamination procedures.
Coordination: The operation requires constant communication among vessel operators, boom handlers, incident commanders, and often aircraft or drones.
encloses oil spill
produces a gate for skimmers
repositions boom as wind/wave migrates oil spill
combined – tow vessel opens the area for skimming vessels to enter the spill and then recloses the boom line
The RSA Autonomous Boom System is expected to reduce containment operating costs by approximately $50,000–$150,000 during a typical multi-day marine response, while offering the potential to avoid hundreds of thousands—or even millions—of dollars in downstream cleanup and environmental damage by containing the spill earlier and more effectively.