ROSTOV-ON-DON, June 16. /TASS/. The staff and students of the Don State Technical University have developed a new model of an unmanned surface vessel with a rigid sail capable of monitoring the environment in shallow and complicated coastal waters, the university reported.

The unmanned surface vessel consists of the sealed hull, navigation elements, power sources and special tools to manage the wingsail for the effective use of wind power, it specified.

"This project stipulates developing a universal autonomous surface drone using the rigid wingsail as the main propulsion unit. The project is unique in combining energy-efficient sail thrust and autonomous lengthy motion precisely for shallow and complex coastal waters where traditional solutions are more costly and less regular," the statement reads.

The rigid sail helps cut fuel consumption and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. By now, experimental models of the hull and the rigid sail have been developed, it said.

The new platform will be tested jointly with the Azov Region and Azov Sea Research and Engineering Institute. The port of Rostov-on-Don is expected to be involved in the project. In the future, these unmanned surface vessels can be integrated in the operation of specialized testing ranges for the trials of autonomous boats in the Sea of Azov.

This work is being carried out under the Priority 2030 program.