AssetID: 55990501
Headline: From drug busts to warfare: Sailing drones are set to police the high seas
Caption: **VIDEO AVAILABLE: CONTACT INFO@COVERMG.COM TO RECEIVE** BY MARK WORGAN Bad guys beware - there’s a new way to police the seas - a fleet of drones that can stay constantly at sea due to relying on sail and solar power. From tracking suspected drug smugglers to mapping the ocean floor – and, increasingly, carrying weapons – autonomous vessels are taking on roles once reserved for crewed ships. Among the most closely watched systems are three unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) developed by Saildrone: the Explorer, Voyager and Surveyor. They share a basic idea: remove the crew and keep the vessel at sea for far longer than a conventional ship could manage. But the three platforms are built for very different jobs. The smallest of the three is the Saildrone Explorer, a seven-metre autonomous surface vessel designed for long-duration ocean surveillance. Powered primarily by wind and solar energy, it can remain at sea for a year or more without needing to return to port. Its average speed is only around one to three knots – far slower than a conventional naval vessel. But speed is not the main attraction. The Explorer is designed to stay on station, collecting information from a defined area for months at a time. Its sensors can monitor weather and ocean conditions, while cameras and automatic identification system (AIS) equipment can help track activity on the water. That persistence could offer navies and other maritime agencies a different way of monitoring large areas of ocean. Rather than deploying a large crewed ship for long periods, operators can send a relatively small autonomous vessel to gather information continuously. The Explorer is not heavily armed and is not intended to chase ships. Its value lies in its ability to keep watching. The larger Saildrone Voyager is designed for maritime surveillance and near-shore mapping, and is already being used operationally in Europe as well as by US authorities. At 10 metres long, it is built for persistent surface and subsurface surveillance, helping operators develop what is known as maritime domain awareness – a picture of what is happening across a particular stretch of sea. The Voyager has also been deployed by the US Navy in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, where unmanned vessels are being used to support efforts to detect drug smuggling and other illicit activity. One Voyager has operated continuously in support of the US Navy's Fourth Fleet since 2023. In October 2025, information gathered by a Voyager directly contributed to a Navy interception that resulted in the seizure of more than $81m (£60m) worth of cocaine, according to Saildrone. “The continuity of Saildrone’s presence along the southern border for nearly three years demonstrates the strategic value we bring as the world’s most experienced operators of unmanned surface vehicles,” said Saildrone President VADM (ret.) John Mustin. “Our unmatched ability to remain on station and on mission in critical regions for months at a time is why our fleet serves as a powerful deterrent to bad actors. We look forward to continuing to partner with the Navy in its mission to secure the country’s maritime approaches and southern border.” The US Navy has awarded Saildrone a $16.3m task order to extend Voyager operations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. The vessels are operating alongside the Joint Interagency Task Force South and US Naval Forces Southern Command/Fourth Fleet. The Voyager can also undertake near-shore mapping and seafloor characterisation, giving it uses beyond surveillance. The Surveyor is Saildrone's largest platform currently in operation and is intended for missions further offshore. At the heart of its design are two major roles: persistent maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and deep-ocean mapping. But the Surveyor has recently demonstrated another capability – carrying and launching a missile. During the US Navy's Rim of the Pacific, or RIMPAC, exercise off Hawaii, a Surveyor launched two Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGMs) in a demonstration described by Saildrone as the first missile launch from one of its USVs. The operation was conducted under the Navy's Fleet Experimentation Program and involved the Navy's ARES, or Adjunct Remote Engagement System, a remotely operated combat system. The Surveyor acted on targeting information for a surrogate high-speed surface vessel while operating alongside the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group. “This successful live fire demonstration was the result of pairing one of the most tried and trusted munitions with the most operationally deployed class of USV on the planet,” said Richard Jenkins, Saildrone’s founder and CEO. “Not only does this deliver mission-ready, kinetic USV capability today, but it also de-risks and accelerates our journey of fitting more sophisticated kinetic capabilities, like the Mk70 launcher, to our larger platform, the Saildrone Spectre. Saildrone will continue to develop our platform capabilities to meet the rapidly evolving operational requirements of our customers.” The Surveyor also demonstrated its ability to carry electronic warfare equipment during the exercise, using a passive sensor to detect, classify and identify a simulated threat radar system in conjunction with an MH-60 aircraft. The three vessels illustrate how autonomous maritime technology is expanding beyond simple ocean monitoring. The Explorer is built around endurance and relatively low-cost persistent surveillance. The Voyager adds greater size and capability, allowing it to undertake longer-duration surveillance and mapping missions and work alongside conventional naval forces. The Surveyor takes the concept further, combining ocean surveillance and deep-sea mapping with increasingly sophisticated military payloads. The technology is still developing. Saildrone says its next-generation platform, the Spectre, will measure 52 metres and be capable of carrying much larger, containerised mission payloads. Planned capabilities include integration of a Lockheed Martin Mk 70 launcher and towed arrays designed to support anti-submarine warfare. The progression from a wind-powered surveillance vessel to an autonomous platform capable of supporting kinetic operations points to a changing role for nautical drones. They may not replace warships – but they could increasingly become the eyes, ears and, in some circumstances, weapons platforms operating alongside them.
Keywords: saildrone,feature,video,military,tech,technology
PersonInImage: