Western Australian manufacturer Hyperion Systems has completed an initial sea trial of its 3D-printed ASTRA 460 unmanned surface vessel (USV), bringing its additively manufactured hull and marine systems together for on-water testing.
The trial involved remote operation of the ASTRA 460, which achieved a top speed of 40 knots during testing. In a news release, Hyperion said further trials will assess the vessel against its expected cruising speed of 20–30 knots, payload capacity of more than 200kg and range of up to 200 kilometres.
The vessel’s hull was manufactured at Hyperion’s facility in Henderson using large-format additive manufacturing. According to the company, the process can produce the hull in about 40 hours by depositing material layer by layer, compared with lead times of four to six weeks using traditional boat-building methods.
The sea trial follows the public unveiling of the ASTRA 460 concept at the Indian Ocean Defence and Security Conference in Perth in May 2026.
ASTRA 460 is the first configuration being developed as part of Hyperion’s broader ASTRA product range. The platform is designed to accommodate different propulsion systems and be scalable to different levels of autonomy.
“Our longer-term ambition is to connect Australian vessel manufacturing with the ability to produce closer to where vessels are needed,” said Hyperion Systems founder and CEO Joshua Wigley.
“ASTRA gives us a practical project through which to develop and test that approach.”
Hyperion has worked with Western Australian autonomous hardware systems and maritime robotics company Fiction Labs on the project, with the company supporting the installation of the vessel’s propulsion unit and guidance system.
“Hyperion can print a hull in days. We can make it work on the water in weeks,” said Fiction Labs director Joshua Cribb, who is a control systems partner on the project.
“That’s a new way for Australia to build sovereign maritime capability – fast, affordable and at scale.”
Hyperion said it will showcase footage from the ASTRA 460 sea trial at Land Forces next week as development of the platform continues.
