- ABS has granted classification to the Saildrone Surveyor, a 20-meter autonomous deepwater unmanned surface vehicle (USV).
- The Surveyor is the largest in Saildrone’s fleet and is capable of fully unmanned operations across global oceans.
- The ABS certification confirms the vessel’s maturity, safety, and readiness for large-scale deployment, marking a major step for autonomous maritime technology.
ABS has awarded class certification to the Saildrone Surveyor, a pioneering 20-meter unmanned surface vehicle capable of deepwater autonomous operations across the world’s oceans. As the largest class of USVs produced by Saildrone—a leader in maritime security, ocean mapping, and environmental data collection—the Surveyor represents a breakthrough in the deployment of autonomous assets for maritime applications. Patrick Ryan, ABS Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, emphasized that this achievement reflects ABS’s commitment to supporting innovation while maintaining the highest safety standards.
Technology and Capabilities
The Saildrone Surveyor is engineered for long-endurance missions in remote and challenging conditions. It can perform advanced deep-ocean bathymetric surveys and a wide range of maritime domain awareness functions without human presence onboard. Operated remotely and monitored around the clock by Saildrone’s global Mission Management team, the vessel demonstrates the growing viability of autonomous systems in meeting both commercial and government needs. Richard Jenkins, Saildrone’s founder and CEO, highlighted that achieving ABS class certification was the result of years of investment and rigorous testing, positioning Saildrone as the first company worldwide to reach this milestone for large USVs.
Progression from Coastal to Deepwater Operations
This milestone builds on the success of Saildrone’s 10-meter Voyager, which achieved ABS classification in 2023. While the Voyager is optimized for persistent surveillance in coastal and nearshore environments, the Surveyor significantly expands operational scope into the deep ocean. Together, the two classes of USVs establish a scalable framework for autonomous maritime operations that span from coastal defense and environmental monitoring to deep-sea exploration and global security.
The ABS class approval of the Saildrone Surveyor signals a new era for the maritime sector, where large-scale autonomous systems are no longer experimental but proven, safe, and ready for integration into global operations. For governments, research bodies, and industry stakeholders, the certification provides assurance that autonomous USVs can deliver reliable, high-standard solutions to some of the most complex challenges at sea.
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Source: American Bureau of Shipping
