A METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PILOTING AN UNMANNED MARINE SURFACE VESSEL

The present teachings relate to a piloting system for an unmanned marine vessel having a first thruster and a second thruster attached to the vessel, the first thruster and second thruster spaced apart from each other, wherein the system is configured to pilot the vessel in a straight line mode of operation in which the vessel autonomously tracks a line between two waypoints and a circling mode of operation in which the vessel autonomously tracks a circle around a waypoint, wherein when the vessel is piloted in said straight line mode, the system controls the overall thrust level applied to the first and second thrusters and the thrust differential between the first and second thrusters to maintain the vessel on the line, and wherein when the vessel is piloted in said circling mode, the system controls the overall thrust level applied to the first and second thrusters and the thrust differential between the first and second thrusters to maintain the vessel on the circle.