UNMANNED COAST
Unmanned Systems. Unmanned People. Unparalleled Innovation.
Unmanned systems are a hot topic nationally. Unmanned systems business clusters and programs are popping up across the US. However most of these clusters are not adhering to the principles of Michael Porter’s Cluster economic theory. Most unmanned clusters are simply the result of state investment in a technology sector in hopes that the industry will “take hold” in the state. But in most cases, once the government funding ends, the economic activity goes with it.
Mississippi and its neighboring states, Louisiana and Alabama, possess enormous potential for economic prosperity fueled by determination and resiliency. While cultural and structural problems along with the effects of the 2008 economic downturn and natural disasters linger within the region, Unmanned Coast, with its entrepreneurial, small-business-focused, technology-based regional economic development approach is beginning to move the economic growth needle in the region.
“We must train Mississippians for the jobs of the next 50 years."
Governor Tate Reeves (2016)
Unmanned Coast believes those jobs will be in unmanned systems and that those same systems will also improve legacy industries within the state.
DARPA
"Sea Hunter"
The successful DARPA "Sea Hunter" is a milestone unmanned marine system program developed on the Mississippi Coast demonstrating that the capability and resources in the area are driving a nationally-unique industry cluster.
LEIDOS successfully tested the software for the 132-foot DARPA Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV). The ACTUV is designed to autonomously track submarines from the surface while obeying international maritime law and avoiding all collisions. LEIDOS tested the autonomous software on a traditional 46-foot workboat which made a 35-mile trip safely along the Mississippi Coast without human intervention. Since then, dozens of autonomous marine vessels have been tested in Mississippi waters which benefit from low population and shallow, calm seas due to barrier islands and the Continental Shelf.
Collaborate to Drive Innovation and Growth in Unmanned Systems
Unmanned Coast is following a more sustainable route. Unmanned Coast will focus on less-common marine systems with aerial platforms as a supporting technology. This approach takes advantage of diverse geographic features of the Mississippi Coast region including ocean, estuarine, riverine, and salt-water marsh environments, as well as low population compared to the rest of the US coastline which provides a safer operating environment.
Unmanned Coast will also be targeting real-world applications driven by the Navy, NOAA, and the Army Corps of Engineers in the near-term as well as long-term goals for the State regarding environmental recovery and supporting a sustainable fishing industry. This customer-driven approach also differentiates Unmanned Coast from other initiatives doing research for research sake without a true commercialization strategy.
Unmanned Coast nurtures and supports the growth of the unmanned marine systems technology business cluster and regional economy by through development of high-growth potential, innovative small businesses and partner organizations. Unmanned Coast coordinates the interaction among large and small companies, university research programs, state agencies, the US Small Business Administration Regional Resource Provider Network (SBA RIC), and other related organizations in order to increase unmanned systems business in the northern gulf region.
Unmanned Coast provides specific business services to existing companies, recruits complementary businesses and talent to the region, facilitates research opportunities, informs policy makers, and supports activities to ensure an educated, well-trained workforce is available to address the development needs of this industry.
