Equipped with a suite of sophisticated sensors, Surveyor delivers real-time intelligence, monitoring, and reconnaissance (ISR) above and listed below the surface.|Source: SaildroneSaildrone Inc., in partnership with Meta, today announced that it has completed a deep-water cable route study in the North Atlantic using the Saildrone Surveyor, a 20-m (65.6 ft.) uncrewed surface area automobile, or USV.
The business stated the demonstration proves that self-governing platforms can provide information quality and efficiency on par with conventional crewed survey vessels while minimizing danger and cost.“& ldquo; This mission showed that autonomous ocean mapping is not simply possible—-- it’& rsquo; s here, and it & rsquo; s extremely effective, & rdquo; said Andy Palmer-Felgate, subsea cable television engineer at Meta.
“& ldquo; Saildrone delivered data that matched tradition surveys with remarkable accuracy, all while running remotely and with minimal ecological impact.”“& rdquo; & ldquo; As capability requires boost, Meta continues to purchase advanced infrastructure innovations —-- and our subsea cable television technique work is critical to these efforts,” & rdquo; he stated.
& ldquo; Ocean mapping plays an essential function, and the implications for subsea cable route surveys are extensive.”& rdquo; The business finished the 26-day study between June and July 2024.
During the presentation, the Saildrone Surveyor mapped more than 4,500 km (2,796 mi.) of seabed.
This consisted of complex topographies and tough conditions, without a port call or outdoors help, stated Saildrone.Operating under sail and motor-sail modes and geared up with a Kongsberg EM304 MKII multibeam finder, Surveyor accomplished swath protection of approximately 10 km (6.2 mi.) in water depths of approximately 5,500 m (3.4 mi.), the company said.Alameda, Calif.-based Saildrone’& rsquo; s USVs use sophisticated sensing units combined with proprietary AI algorithms.
These provide a full image of the maritime environment above and listed below the sea surface.The Voyager USV earned Saildrone a 2025 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award for mapping formerly uncharted areas of the Gulf of Maine.Surveyor goes beyond expectationsThe demonstration concentrated on gathering bathymetric data along the established Anjana cable television route and the recently surveyed Aurora route.
This allowed the teams to straight compare the Saildrone Surveyor’& rsquo; s performance versus standard crewed survey vessels.
Secret operational metrics—-- path fidelity, line keeping, information transmission, and depth precision—-- satisfied or surpassed expectations across the board, Saildrone said.Using the Saildrone Mission Portal and real-time, high-bandwidth satellite connection, Saildrone hydrographic property surveyors and pilots monitored vehicle efficiency.
The property surveyors were able to dynamically re-task it to examine features of interest, such as seamounts and canyons, important for path optimization.
Formerly limited to crewed vessels, this ability opens the door to more agile, responsive, and dispersed survey operations, Saildrone said.A crucial focus of the mission was reducing health, safety, and ecological (HSE) risks related to offshore operations.
The group aimed to demonstrate substantial advantages to the quality of life for hydrographic surveyors, cable television route engineers, and customer representatives.With the Surveyor, these individuals can now perform their work from another location from shore-based workplaces or office, decreasing time far from family and minimizing the physical and psychological pressure associated with overseas implementations, stated Saildron.
The objective prevented an estimated 243 heaps of CO₂ ₂ emissions, over 50 times less than a standard vessel, highlighting the sustainability advantages of uncrewed systems.A map of the cable route on the seabed that Saildrone’& rsquo; s Surveyor produced.|Source: SaildroneSaildrone wants to broader USV applicationsThis demonstration paves the way for more comprehensive adoption of USVs in subsea telecommunications, offshore energy, and nationwide hydrographic programs, according to Saildrone.
Future advancements will focus on expanding operational range, enhancing weather condition durability, and incorporating brand-new technologies like AI-based navigation and expendable bathythermographs.“& ldquo; This is a turning point for deep-ocean survey,” & rdquo; said Brian Connon, vice president of ocean mapping at Saildrone.
“& ldquo; The Surveyor & rsquo; s efficiency on this mission shows that we can deliver high-resolution, deep-water bathymetry with a fraction of the fuel, cost, and danger.
As our fleet expands, we imagine a worldwide network of Surveyor USVs supporting offshore markets with safe, effective, and scalable information options.”& rdquo; In May, Saildrone closed a $60 million financial investment round.
The company stated it will use the investment to bring its technology to Europe to deal with the immediate need for maritime security for critical infrastructure and broader defense applications.Now accepting session submissions!The post Saildrone, Meta total robotic deep-water cable television route survey appeared first on The Robot Report.