The collaboration between JRC and Alphatron Marine continues to develop systems to make the marine world safer and more efficient. Together they have developed a new autopilot, the AlphaPilot MFS-VR.
The AlphaPilot MFS-VR is an adaptive autopilot that uses speed or draft information and is suitable for numerous vessel types, including workboats, fast crew tender vessels, fishing vessels, tugs and more. As this is the successor of the successful AlphaSeaPilot MFC and MFA system, this new pilot can easily be used to retrofit and can replace previous models or any other autopilot.
The new MFS-VR is a speed adaptive, type approved and wheelmarked autopilot system. It can be used for vessels operating up to 30 knots (non-High-Speed Craft) and is also specially type approved for High-Speed Craft (HSC) compliant with ISO-16329 to provide an overall speed application range for vessels up to 70 knots.
The complete AlphaPilot MFS-VR system consists of a 5-inch multicolour touchscreen display with rotary knob for easy use under all circumstances and separated distribution box to communicate with all necessary external data signals. Next to this, the distribution box has multiple terminals to directly connect different steering systems for proportional valves, thrusters, waterjet control and solenoids.
The adaptive AlphaPilot MFS-VR easily installed on board any commercial or leisure vessel with a single rudder, linked rudders, independent rudders, or azimuth Z-drives configuration. Due to the extremely compact size, the control unit can be built into the armrest of a chair.
The new AlphaPilot series will be globally released as a JRC Europe product. This indicates the close relation with the JRC headquarters in Japan, but with the product development and management from the JRC/Alphatron Marine office in Rotterdam.
