## 3 Trends in Operational USVs
### Future Trajectory of USVs  
Based on the trends in market-ready USVs discussed in the present section (Section 3), this subsection highlights key aspects of the technology's future trajectory. Several interesting points emerge:Considering the autonomy found in most (market-ready) USVs and the recent strides in artificial intelligence, a significant gap remains between the state-of-the-art research and most operative USVs, which still rely on conventional control modes.
2. Another important gap lies in the hardware and software architectures of these USVs. Due to limited publicly available information, it is challenging to assess the advantages and disadvantages of different USV models.
3. Despite various developments of collision avoidance algorithms that comply with the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COL-REGS), most manufacturers do not disclose details regarding their implementation.
4. Autonomous navigation is an important feature in most USVs, yet it is generally limited to basic modes, such as waypoint navigation. However, more advanced capabilities like autonomous berthing are rarely mentioned by manufacturers, reinforcing the gap highlighted in point 1.
5. Another critical aspect is the extrapolation of features across different USV scales. Thus, some topics arise, for instance, (1) the control used in small vessels, (2) legal requirements, and (3) cybersecurity risks. With those, some questions also arise due to differences in equipment and operational contexts: \"how would these features be translated from small to large USVs? Will there be any kind of equivalence between them?\".  
Drawing a parallel with unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology as a reference, we can anticipate that the future of USVs will follow a similar trajectory. It is plausible that in the future, any person will be able to buy small unmanned vessels, and possibly some companies will offer unmanned vessels for specialized tasks such as fishing, small cargo transportation, and rescue operations. Larger USV projects like the mentioned Armada 78 (A78) and the YARA Birkeland are already increasing in number, and their presence in industries such as oil and gas, defense, logistics, and research appears inevitable.  
Furthermore, the growth in artificial intelligence will certainly play a crucial role in the majority of the market due to its automation possibilities and efficiency. Difficult tasks, such as environment perception, operations of multiple USVs, and decision-making will be overcome and widely deployed. Also, at some point, the incorporation of international, national, and local regulations will be more straightforward, i.e., researchers and manufacturers will already be aware of what they must comply with, facilitating the spread of the technology. In addition, the recent advancements in low-orbit satellite technologies (e.g., Starlink, Kuiper) have enabled low latency, which is important to enhance real-time data transmission and control, and have been rapidly implemented in USVs. Lastly, all the growing emphasis on a sustainable future is and will continue to impact the industry to develop eco-friendly and sustainable practices in USV development. This is an enormous advantage of the USVs, which enables emissions reduction,the use of renewable energy sources, and consequently mitigates marine pollution.