National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration
United States Department of Commerce

Saildrone

Saildrone Fleet Reaches New Milestone: 1,000,000 Nautical Miles and 32,000 Days at Sea

On a windy day in October 2013, a small team of engineers and boatbuilders watched the first wind-powered ocean drone disappear over the horizon, bound for Hawaii 2,200 nautical miles away. That journey took 34 days. Fast forward 10 years, and Saildrone’s fleet of uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs), now 136 strong and scaling rapidly, has sailed 1,042,620 nautical miles and spent 32,438 days at sea—and counting. Multiple PMEL Saildrone research projects are highlighted. 

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