High-tech sentinels: Autonomous sail drones to patrol Great Lakes this summer
The U.S. Coast Guard’s Great Lakes District is going high-tech this season, announcing the deployment of a fleet of autonomous drones to bolster maritime security and emergency response from May through October.
CLEVELAND — The U.S. Coast Guard’s Great Lakes District is going high-tech this season, announcing the deployment of a fleet of autonomous drones to bolster maritime security and emergency response from May through October.
Autonomous saildrones are wind- and solar-powered uncrewed surface vehicles, or USVs, designed for long-endurance maritime data collection, surveillance and security. They utilize solar power as an auxiliary battery charge source.
Built by Saildrone, the vehicles use artificial intelligence for navigation and carry sensors to monitor oceans and lakes for months without refueling. They are commonly deployed for scientific research and ocean mapping.
The initiative, funded by a federal contract aimed at enhancing "maritime domain awareness," introduces wind- and solar-powered vessels designed to act as force multipliers for traditional Coast Guard crews. The uncrewed craft will provide a constant eyes-on-the-water presence across the vast expanse of the Great Lakes.
According to Coast Guard officials, the drones are tasked with a diverse array of missions, including weather monitoring, law enforcement and search and rescue.
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Despite the autonomous setup, the Coast Guard said the vessels are under constant supervision.
Each unit is equipped with high-resolution cameras, radar and advanced collision-avoidance artificial intelligence. Furthermore, human operators will monitor the drones 24/7 and are capable of seizing manual control of any vessel if necessary.
While the drones are highly visible to the public, their onboard sensors remain strictly focused on maritime awareness. Officials stressed that the technology is intended to augment, not replace, the work of fully qualified Coast Guard crews.
"These autonomous systems augment the essential needs of our crews operating on the Great Lakes," the district stated in a news release, highlighting the efficiency of using renewable energy to maintain a persistent watch.
— Submitted by the U.S. Coast Guard. To submit a news tip, email newsroom@ottawanewsnetwork.org.
