- Unmanned sail boats marks an historic Atlantic crossing
- Stands second to a battery-powered underwater glider record in 2009
- Proves integrity of the sailboat for unmanned ocean missions
- Sell for about 150,000 euros ($175,000), which is the cost of renting a research vessel for a few days.
- Not autonomous yet, but soon will take form says Colin Sauze, the Microtransat’s co-ordinator.
A milestone achieved by a Norwegian company, shows the technology is robust enough to carry out extended missions that can cut costs for ocean research, border security, and surveillance in waters.
Alone in the sea
All summer, the small boat drifted steadily eastward across the churning North Atlantic until it neared the Irish coast, where it made history by becoming the first unmanned sailboat to cross the Atlantic.
The SB Met, built by Norwegian company Offshore Sensing AS, reached the finish line of the Microtransat Challenge for robotic boats on Aug. 26, two and a half months after setting off from Newfoundland, according to preliminary data.
Proves to be economical
It’s a milestone that shows the technology for unmanned boats is robust enough to carry out extended missions that can dramatically cut costs for ocean research, border security, and surveillance in rough or remote waters. They’re part of wider efforts to develop autonomous marine vessels such as robotic ferries and cargo and container ships that could be operating by the end of the decade, outpacing attempts to commercialize self-driving cars.
“We’ve proved that it’s possible to do,” said David Peddie, CEO of Offshore Sensing, which created the oceangoing drones, known as Sailbuoys. “The North Atlantic is one of the toughest areas to cross” and completing the challenge “really proves that it’s a long endurance vehicle for pretty much any condition the sea can throw at you,” he said.
Joins the sole competor
The Sailbuoy competed in the “unmanned” class, which allows operators to change its course along the way. There’s a separate “autonomous” class that prohibits any such communication.
The company is in a niche field with few other players. U.S. startup Saildrone is building a fleet of seven-meter “unmanned surface vehicles” that can spend up to 12 months gathering ocean data. Liquid Robotics, owned by Boeing, makes the Wave Glider, a research platform that uses wave rather than wind power for propulsion.
Solar powered
Offshore Sensing has built 14 Sailbuoys, which have a surfboard-shaped deck covered in solar panels that power the onboard technology and a rigid trapezoidal sail mounted near the bow that propels the vessel. In company videos, it looks like a toy tossed about by waves and passing ships, making its achievement all the more unlikely.
Economical on research
The great advantage is that you can collect an awful lot of data for very low cost
Sailbuoys can be fitted with sensors to measure waves, ocean salinity and oxygen levels; echo sounders to look for fish eggs and larvae; or transmitters to communicate with undersea equipment. They sell for about 150,000 euros ($175,000), similar to the cost of renting a research vessel for a few days.
“The great advantage is that you can collect an awful lot of data for very low cost,” Peddie said.
Stands second to one
Until Sailbuoy’s achievement, the only unmanned watercraft to cross the Atlantic previously was a battery-powered underwater glider in 2009. Now, more milestones are quickly looming on the horizon line after its feat, said Colin Sauze, the Microtransat’s co-ordinator.
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Source: London Free Press
