Blog

Saildrone enjoys sharing our experiences, industry insights, and learnings. Read our articles below to find out what we’ve been up to.

Weather Buoy Swapped for Saildrone to Protect Seafloor
Data

The National Data Buoy Center has replaced a moored weather buoy in a national marine sanctuary with a Saildrone USV to mitigate impacts caused by mooring material.

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Saildrone Kicks off First Seafloor Mapping Mission in Gulf of Maine
Missions

The two-month mission using the new Saildrone Voyager is in support of the NOAA deep-sea coral survey.

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Record Setting: Saildrone Explorer SD 1045 Entered into Guinness Book
Company

Saildrone Explorer SD 1045 measured the “highest wind speed recorded by a USV” during Hurricane Sam in 2021.

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Saildrone Unveils New Acoustic Capabilities to Protect Marine Mammals
Technology

Saildrone’s passive acoustics array is designed to detect marine mammals like whales and dolphins to mitigate impacts on those species from human activities.

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Saildrone Hires CRO to Accelerate Global Sales and Partnerships
Company

Tom Foldesi, formerly of DataStax and Defense Innovation Unit, brings 25 years of experience in strategic business development and sales.

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Autonomous Fisheries Surveys Resume in the Great Lakes with USGS
Missions

After two years of successful missions in lakes Michigan, Huron, and Superior, a Saildrone Explorer will circumnavigate Lake Erie to improve fish stock assessments.

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“Hurricane Sam” Saildrone Sails Back into the Eye of the Storm
Missions

SD 1045, famous for capturing the first video from inside a major hurricane at sea, is one of 12 saildrones collecting data about hurricane rapid intensification for NOAA this summer.

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More Saildrones Than Ever Deploy for the 2023 Hurricane Season!
Missions

The third-annual Atlantic Hurricane mission will provide data to NOAA researchers to better understand how these large and destructive storms grow and intensify.

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Capturing the Ocean Carbon Dioxide Signal
Science

In celebration of World Oceans Day, Saildrone asked three of the science community’s most preeminent oceanographers to discuss the importance of measuring CO2 in the ocean.

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ABS Issues First-Ever Approval in Principle Certificate for Commercial USV
Technology

AIP, an important first step to full classification of a new maritime vehicle, was awarded to the Saildrone Voyager and Saildrone Surveyor.

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A New Partnership to Map the Ocean
Data

Saildrone and Seabed 2030 will work together to leverage technological innovation to more quickly and efficiently collect ocean mapping data and make it freely available to all.

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Austal Australia to Manufacture Saildrone Surveyor USV for Indo-Pacific Region
Company

The 65-foot Surveyor is designed for deep ocean mapping and maritime security missions.

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UH Mānoa Studies Ocean Chemistry Around Hawaiian Islands with USVs
Missions

Researchers are working to assess how climate change and ocean acidification are impacting Hawaii’s coastal environment.

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New Mid-size Voyager USV Expands Data Collection at Sea
Technology

The 33-foot Saildrone Voyager is designed for near-shore bathymetry and maritime security missions.

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Closing Ocean Exploration Gaps in Remote Waters
Missions

The Saildrone Surveyor, the world’s largest uncrewed ocean mapping vehicle, has mapped more than 45,000 square kilometers (17,375 square miles) of previously unexplored ocean floor during a months-long survey around Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and off the coast of California.

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Saildrone Recovered in Luderitz, Namibia, After Science Mission in the Southern Ocean
Missions

SD 1067 spent six months collecting climate science data in the Southern Ocean as part of the international Southern Ocean Carbon and Heat Impact on Climate project.

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USGS Uses Advanced Technologies to Improve Fisheries Assessments on Lake Superior
Missions

Given the economic and cultural value of the Lake Superior fishery, it’s more important than ever to provide fishery managers with accurate data to monitor native fish populations to sustainably manage the $7B Great Lakes fishery.

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Matt Woody Joins Saildrone as Director of Defense and Intelligence Sales
Company

Saildrone’s uncrewed vehicles are a long-endurance and environmentally friendly solution for persistent maritime security.

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Saildrone Named “Best Tech for Good” at 2022 Timmy Awards
Company

The Timmy Awards recognize North America’s best tech companies and people.

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Here’s What it Looks Like Inside Hurricane Fiona
Missions

Saildrone Explorer SD 1078 is battling 50-foot waves and winds measured over 100 mph inside the Cat 4 hurricane.

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Saildrone Expands Ocean Data Solutions with Key Operations Hire
Company

Mark Cuyler, formerly of Amazon Last Mile, joins Saildrone as Chief Operating Officer.

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NOWRDC Selects Saildrone to Detect and Protect Marine Mammals Ahead of Offshore Wind
Technology

The award is one of five new projects to receive a total of $3.5 million for ocean co-use and transmission.

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How Protecting Whales Helps Accelerate Renewable Energy
Technology

Offshore wind energy is a key element in reducing dependence on fossil fuels, but it’s important to understand the potential effects on marine mammals and the ocean ecosystem during and after development.

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Saildrone Welcomes Congressman Rob Wittman to California
Company

Rep. Wittman of Virginia visited Saildrone HQ to talk about how small USVs can support US maritime defense efforts.

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Austal USA to Build Saildrone Surveyor USV
Company

The Mobile, AL-based shipbuilder will manufacture Saildrone’s 65-foot USV.

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National Data Buoy Center Deploys Saildrones to the Gulf of Mexico
Missions

Two Saildrone Explorers are collecting data in the Gulf of Mexico to mitigate a weather buoy outage.

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Ocean Drones Sail the Great Lakes to Support Sustainable Fisheries
Missions

Two Saildrone Explorers will collect data in Lake Superior to improve fish counts, monitor environmental health, and help to protect native fish species.

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One Year at Sea: Advancing Ocean Data Collection in the Atlantic
Missions

SD 1079 spent 370 days at sea collecting CO2 data in a remote area of the Tropical Atlantic to improve global carbon projections and more sustainably manage ocean resources.

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Sailing (Back) into the Eye of the Hurricane
Missions

Saildrone and NOAA are launching seven wind-powered ocean drones to collect data inside hurricanes in the Tropical Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

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How Do We Know How Much Carbon the Ocean Absorbs?
Science

Saildrone’s global fleet of USVs is collecting critical data to help scientists better understand how increased atmospheric carbon is driving rising global temperatures.

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How High-Resolution Ocean Mapping Protects Coastal Communities
Technology

Detailed information about the coastal seafloor is essential to predicting destructive hurricane storm surge.

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Saildrone Surveyor Earns Ocean Innovation Award for Revolutionizing Ocean Mapping
Technology

Presented by the Blue Marine Foundation and BOAT International, the Ocean Awards recognize groups and individuals making significant contributions to ocean conservation.

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Saildrone Founder & CEO Richard Jenkins Recognized with Michelson Award for Innovation
Technology

The Albert A. Michelson Award, presented at Sea Air Space 2022 by the Navy League of the United States, recognizes outstanding achievement by industry innovators and leaders.

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Sulmara Teams Up with Saildrone to Use USVs to Expand Offshore Energy Around the World
Technology

Sulmara Subsea has ordered 10 Saildrone Voyagers to bring low-carbon USV-based survey and inspection to the global offshore energy sector.

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Saildrone Named to Fast Company’s Annual List of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2022
Company

Saildrone joins the ranks of SpaceX, Microsoft, Canva, and others whose efforts are reshaping business, industry, and the broader culture.

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Saildrone Opens Florida Ocean Mapping Headquarters to Support Critical Coastline Initiatives
Company

Saildrone is one of several science and defense-oriented companies located at the St. Petersburg Innovation District’s new Maritime and Defense Technology Hub.

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Saildrone’s Atlantic Hurricane Mission Recognized as Story of the Year
Missions

NOAA, The New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, the Weather Channel, and Popular Mechanics have named the Atlantic hurricane mission one of the most important stories of 2021.

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A New Era of Hurricane Observing and Forecasting
Science

NOAA and Saildrone sent five autonomous vehicles into the Tropical Atlantic and successfully collected data of ocean-atmospheric interaction inside a major hurricane, which had never been done before by any uncrewed surface vehicle.

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Improving Long-Range Weather Forecasting & Global Carbon Models with Autonomous Vehicles
Missions

A group of Saildrone Explorers were deployed from Newport, RI, to build the largest ever set of wintertime weather and carbon data in the Gulf Stream.

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Studying the Ocean in (Vertical) Motion
Missions

NASA’s S-MODE experiment leveraged instruments of the sea and sky to study how small-scale ocean dynamics impact Earth’s climate system.

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Tom Alexander Joins Saildrone as VP of Government Relations
Company

Tom Alexander will lead Saildrone’s new Washington, DC office, working to promote autonomous solutions for science, mapping, and homeland and national security.

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Saildrone Ready to Advance Ocean Intelligence with $100M Series C Funding Round
Company

Led by BOND, the new financing will be used to grow Saildrone’s data insight teams and scale go-to-market functions for ocean domain intelligence.

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Inside the Eye of the Storm: Saildrone Collects Live Video of Category 4 Hurricane
Missions

Saildrone Explorer SD 1045 is collecting valuable ocean data about how hurricanes intensify for NOAA.

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Saildrone Ramps Up Maritime Security Capabilities with Key Hires from Navy, Coast Guard
Company

Illegal fishing, drug interdiction, counter-piracy, and asset protection are just some of the applications for Saildrone’s autonomous maritime security solutions.

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How Ocean Drones Can Help Enable Renewable Energy
Technology

The need for renewable energy sources is at an all-time high. Saildrone’s low-carbon, wind-powered ocean drones can help make new offshore wind farms a reality.

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David E. Shaw Brings Extensive Science & Conservation Experience to Saildrone's Ocean Advisory Board
Company

The founder of the Sargasso Sea Alliance and Aspen High Seas Initiative and member of Ocean Elders will help Saildrone achieve its mission to sustainably explore, map, and monitor the ocean.

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Saildrone Launches First Freshwater Mission in the Great Lakes
Missions

Two Saildrone Explorers were deployed from Macatawa, MI, to collect fisheries data in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron on behalf of the USGS Great Lakes Science Center.

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Saildrone Surveyor Completes Its First Ocean Crossing from San Francisco to Hawaii
Missions

Following this successful proof of concept voyage, Saildrone will build a fleet of Surveyors, manufactured at US shipyards, to map Earth’s oceans in the next 10 years.

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Sailing into the Eye of the Storm
Missions

In partnership with NOAA, Saildrone is going storm chasing in the Tropical Atlantic to collect data where it’s never been collected before—inside a hurricane.

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Ocean Drone Makes Landfall in Australia after 718 Days Sailing the Southern Ocean
Missions

SD 1023 was one of three saildrones deployed as part of the 2019 Antarctic Circumnavigation that sought new scientific insights in the Southern Ocean.

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Saildrone to Launch Transformative Gulf Stream Mission
Science

Funded in part by a grant of more than €1m from Google.org, the 12-month mission is expected to yield extraordinary insights into the impact of the Gulf Stream on weather forecasting and global carbon models.

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NASA Study Finds Close Correlation Between Satellite & Saildrone In Situ Data
Data

Data collected by a fleet of saildrones deployed to the Arctic is being used to validate satellite remote sensing and help develop machine learning tools to estimate air-sea heat exchange.

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Technology Innovation Enables Ocean Science When Ships Can’t Sail
Technology

Saildrone is one of several innovative technologies that have allowed NOAA to continue its applied science mission during the COVID-19 pandemic—and will help to transform ocean exploration in the years to come.

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Saildrone Launches 72-foot Surveyor, Revolutionizing Ocean Seabed Mapping
Technology

The new Saildrone Surveyor is the world’s most advanced uncrewed surface vehicle, equipped with an array of acoustic instruments for high-resolution shallow and deep-water mapping.

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USVs Complete Milestone Alaska Fisheries Survey
Missions

Data collected by a fleet of Saildrone unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) will inform this year’s Alaska pollock fish stock assessment.

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The Case for a Global Ocean Carbon Observation Network
Science

Saildrone is seeking impact partners to operationalize its USV platform for the benefit of humankind.

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Brian Connon Joins Saildrone as VP of Ocean Mapping
Company

The former director of the USM Hydrographic Science Research Center, Brian Connon will lead Saildrone’s Ocean Mapping division.

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Saildrone Joins Consortium for Ocean Leadership
Company

The Consortium for Ocean Leadership brings together the leading ocean science and technology institutions to advance ocean research, innovation, education, and policy.

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Winter Storm Chasing to Improve Extreme Weather Forecasts
Technology

Saildrone has deployed a vehicle with a specially designed wing to chase hurricane-strength winter storms in the North Pacific.

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Saildrone Wraps Up Successful MDA Demonstration for USCG
Technology

The USCG is examining the feasibility, costs, and benefits of using low-cost autonomous vehicles to provide persistent maritime domain awareness in remote areas of the ocean.

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Combating IUU Fishing with Autonomous Vehicles
Technology

Week 4: Saildrone is demonstrating how USVs could be a cost-effective solution for monitoring illegal fishing activity in remote areas of the ocean.

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The United States Coast Guard and the Role of Autonomy at Sea
Technology

Week 3: We spoke to USCG Commander D. Blair Sweigart about the Coast Guard’s mission, how autonomy could improve mission performance, and Saildrone’s demonstration of MDA capabilities in Hawaii.

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A Shark, a Turtle, and a Saildrone Cross the Pacific...
Company

To celebrate NOAA’s 50th anniversary, artist and conservationist Jim Toomey took his characters on a NOAA-themed adventure.

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Machine Learning Will Automate Maritime Domain Awareness
Technology

Week 2: The Saildrone MDA solution is made up of a specially built camera array and advanced onboard artificial intelligence and machine learning software.

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Saildrone Begins Demo of Autonomous MDA Capabilities for USCG
Technology

Week 1: A fleet of six saildrones was launched from Honolulu to demonstrate how artificial intelligence and machine learning could be used to support the US Coast Guard mission.

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Saildrone Fleet Completes First Arctic Mapping Mission
Missions

Four saildrones sailed 8,000 nautical miles round trip from San Francisco to the Canadian border to collect bathymetry data off Alaska’s North Slope.

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Saildrone Hires Barak Ben-Gal as CFO to Scale Ocean Drone Data Solutions
Company

Barak Ben-Gal, formerly of Sunrun and Symphony Talent, will build the G&A organization necessary to enable growth.

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Environmental Changes in the Arctic Put Pressure on Fisheries Data Collection and Management
Science

Saildrone USVs enabled the Alaska Fisheries Science Center to perform the 2020 Alaska pollock survey during a time of considerable environmental and civic uncertainty.

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Ocean Mapping Mission Starts Off Alaska’s North Slope
Missions

Saildrone’s Arctic fleet has begun to map the 20-meter and 50-meter contour lines from Point Hope to the Canadian border.

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Atlantic to Med: An Historic 5,000+ Nautical Mile Voyage for Science
Missions

Two autonomous wind-powered vehicles sailed from Cabo Verde to Trieste, Italy, demonstrating how fit-for-purpose technology can be used to increase ocean observation.

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Tropical Atlantic Mission Wraps Up After 6 Months at Sea
Missions

Two saildrones have been collecting data about air-sea interactions in a productive region of the western Tropical Atlantic on behalf of NOAA.

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How Barometric Pressure over the Ocean Affects Weather on Land
Forecast

Barometric pressure over the ocean is vital to weather prediction on land. The Saildrone Forecast weather app for iOS now includes global air pressure as an animated overlay.

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Autonomous Alaska Pollock Survey Begins in the Bering Sea
Missions

Three Saildrone USVs have begun a 60-day acoustic survey on behalf of NOAA Fisheries after transiting more than 2,000 nautical miles from San Francisco to the Bering Sea.

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Autonomous Surface and Subsurface Vehicles Work Together to Observe CO2 Exchange in the Adriatic Sea
Science

Data collected by two saildrones and a subsurface glider along a transect between Italy and Croatia will be intercompared with that of the E2M3A ocean station.

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Eyes and Ears at Sea: US Coast Guard to Test Saildrone Autonomous MDA Capabilities
Technology

Saildrone is using a specially built camera system and advanced acoustic technology combined with machine learning to identify activity at sea.

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Surveying Volcanic Impacts in the Tyrrhenian Sea
Science

As part of the Atlantic to Mediterranean mission, two saildrones studied CO2 air-sea fluxes due to volcanic activity in the vicinity of the Aeolian Islands.

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Saildrone Joins the Alliance for Digital Innovation
Company

ADI empowers the government to leverage innovative commercial technology to provide modern, secure, and effective digital experiences to its citizens.

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Mapping the Arctic Seafloor Using Autonomous Vehicles
Missions

This first-of-its-kind acoustic bathymetry mission will test the ability of Saildrone USVs to map the US exclusive economic zone off Alaska’s North Slope.

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Saildrone to Perform Alaska Pollock Survey Amid COVID-19 Lockdown
Missions

With upcoming ship-based surveys in Alaska canceled due to the global health crisis, NOAA Fisheries has turned to Saildrone to collect data to support the sustainable management of America’s largest fishery.

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Saildrone Data Quality Validated by Peer-Reviewed Papers
Data

To establish confidence in Saildrone fit for purpose data, we have sought out and developed relationships with recognized experts in the fields of meteorology and oceanography.

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Surface and Underwater Autonomous Vehicles Observe Winter Convection and Biogeochemical Impact in the Ligurian Sea
Science

Two saildrones and an underwater glider traveled the Nice-Calvi line to study air-sea carbon flux and demonstrate the potential of autonomous vehicles to extend the capability of fixed-point observatories and remote sensing.

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Saildrone In Situ Observation: A Single Platform with a Multi-Purpose
Technology

Saildrone USVs have proven to be a valuable tool in a multiplatform observation network, but they can also achieve a variety of mission objectives simultaneously, saving money and resources.

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Studying Tropical Air-Sea Interactions in the Atlantic
Missions

Five saildrones deployed from Barbados observed ocean-atmosphere interactions at the sub-mesoscale improve climate models and weather prediction.

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Access High-Resolution Ocean Data Sets at data.saildrone.com
Data

The Saildrone Data Explorer is designed to make Saildrone data easy to find, download, and use for scientific and educational purposes.

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Saildrones and SOCIB: Extending In Situ Observation in the Balearic Islands
Science

Two saildrones collected oceanographic and biogeochemical data filling observational gaps in a particularly dynamic region of the Western Mediterranean Sea.

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Bring Antarctica to Your (Home) School
Science

Explore the Southern Ocean with your kids—these fun and engaging STEM-oriented lesson plans discuss the incredible aspects of the Antarctic ecosystem and how it affects the rest of the planet. Download for free!

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Saildrone Forecast Takes a Data-Driven Approach to Weather Visualization
Forecast

Saildrone Forecast for iOS is one of only a few weather apps to leverage the power of Apple’s Metal framework to animate global and local weather on one beautiful and accurate map.

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Saildrones Complete First Unmanned Passage of Strait of Gibraltar
Missions

SD 1030 and SD 1053 reverse the path of the ancient mariners, entering the Mediterranean Sea through the Pillars of Hercules.

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Saildrone & NASA: Increasing the Value of Remote Sensing Data
Science

Satellite imagery improves understanding of Earth’s systems, but in situ data is required for calibration, validation, and algorithm development.

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Surveying Commercially Important Fish Stocks in the North Sea
Missions

Two saildrones spent more than 200 days surveying sandeel, saithe, and herring off the coast of Bergen in partnership with Norway’s Institute of Marine Research.

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ESTOC Ocean Station Continues Tradition of Cutting-Edge Technology
Science

The Canary Islands’ ESTOC site is one of nine fixed ocean stations in the Atlantic and Mediterranean where saildrones will collect in situ measurements for cross-calibration and validation.

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Powder Alert?
Forecast

Where snow comes from, and how Saildrone Forecast tracks it.

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Scientists Call for Global Array of Autonomous Vehicles
Science

Quantifying air-sea interaction is key to improving weather prediction.

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Saildrone Atlantic Fleet Studies Tropical Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions
Missions

Five saildrones were deployed from Barbados to join the EUREC4A/ATOMIC project, a massive international effort using air, space, surface, and sub-surface platforms to improve climate models and weather prediction.

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Connecting European Research Infrastructure with Autonomous Vehicles
Science

Two Saildrone USVs will collect in situ measurements at nine fixed ocean stations in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea for cross-calibration and validation.

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Sailing Over the Ice Edge
Missions

The 5th annual Arctic mission, in partnership with NOAA and NASA, took a fleet of saildrones to a new frontier—the Arctic ice edge—to improve sea ice prediction and satellite algorithm development.

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A Fresh Breeze of Innovation for Physical Oceanography in the 2020s
Science

Saildrone Chief Scientist Dr. Eric Lindstrom offers a perspective on the future of physical oceanography and ocean observation over the next decade.

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Building an Ecological Baseline in the Central Pacific Ahead of Deep-Sea Mining
Missions

The 30-day mission supported by a Saildrone Award studies the behavior and environmental influencers of small fishes, squids, and crustaceans in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.

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Saildrones Work with Ships for 2nd Time During NOAA Fisheries West Coast Surveys
Missions

The 60-day Saildrone effort to assess stocks of Pacific hake and five coastal pelagic species was carried out in two sub-missions extending the full length of the US west coast, from San Diego to Cape Flattery.

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NOPP Grant Creates 3-Way PPP to Advance Ocean Mapping
Company

UNH, MBARI, and Saildrone will work together to advance deepwater ocean bathymetry thanks to a three-year grant from the National Oceanographic Partnership Program.

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