Sail Drone

https://www.saildrone.
com/#Technology
A UNIQUE PLATFORM
Saildrones are Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) designed for long range long duration ocean data
collection missions of up to 12 months. Launched and retrieved from a dock, the Saildrone fleet
navigates to a chosen study area using wind power for propulsion, transiting at 3-5 knots. Each drone
then starts collecting high resolution data, either holding station or following a survey pattern as
required by the specific mission objectives. Saildrone USVs operate around the world, in any ocean
conditions. By augmenting expensive ship observations with a fleet of Saildrones, science-grade data
can cost-effectively and autonomously be gathered over large ocean areas.
MISSION-AS-A-SERVICE
Saildrone handles all operational mission execution to deliver high quality, high resolution ocean
data to your desktop or mobile. Found something interesting? The Saildrone USVs can be re-tasked,
in real time to measure interesting features in greater detail. Welcome to adaptive sampling. We
take care of all live operations, from launch & retrieval of the drones to piloting the fleet in busy
waterways, so you can focus on the data, yet remain in control.
PRECISE MEASUREMENTS
The Saildrone USV carries a comprehensive scientific sensor suite measuring key environmental
variables, from atmospheric to surface and sub-surface. Measurements for each variable have been
validated by NOAA through extensive comparison with ship and buoy measurements and recognized
as climate-grade quality. In addition to our standard met/ocean sensor suite, Saildrone USVs can also
carry a pCO2 sensor for carbon applications, an ADCP for current profiling and a specialized echo
sounder for fish stock assessment and survey grade depth.
REAL TIME DATA

The in situ data collected by the Saildrone fleet is transmitted back to shore in real-time via satellite.
This data is delivered to you seamlessly through a user-friendly web portal, which can be accessed
on any computer or smart phone for live data manipulation and visualization. This includes real-time
ADCP and echo sounder data. We deliver raw data from calibrated sensors, as well as quality
controlled and processed data according to the latest scientific conventions and best practices. All of
our data is also accessible via a modern API for seamless ingestion.
SOLUTIONS
SAILDRONE OFFERS A FULLY MANAGED

DATA SERVICE
COVERING A WIDE RANGE OF APPLICATIONS
MET OCEAN DATA SOLUTIONS
AUGMENTING SHIPS AND BUOYS FOR ENHANCED
S H O R T A N D L O N G TERM FORECASTS
ENABLING BETTER FORECASTS

The world's oceans are experiencing significant change, which is having a profound impact on
short term and seasonal weather patterns. Furthermore, the areas where some of the biggest
changes are occurring are also some of the least measured and understood. This is largely due
to their remote location and/or harsh environment, where the cost of deploying sensors via
traditional ship-based methods is very high.
In response to these factors, new technologies are required to supplement ships and mooring
data to meet the demand for longer, more economical deployments with the ability for real-
time data, adaptive sampling and shore-based assessment.
Saildrone's Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) were designed to meet this need -- providing
the ability to reach almost any part of the world's oceans, without requiring a ship. Deployed
from a dock, Saildrone's USVs navigate autonomously to the area of interest, where they
operate for extended periods in open seas, before returning to shore for servicing and
subsequent re-deployment. A sophisticated suite of on-board science sensors collects climate-
quality data cost efficiently and enables better short term and seasonal weather forecasting.
FISHERIES DATA SOLUTIONS
AUTONOMOUSLY ASSESS FISH STOCKS FOR
SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES
AUTONOMOUS ASSESSMENTS
Acoustic-Trawl surveys provide critical input to fisheries management. They are traditionally
undertaken using an echo-sounder on a research ship.
Pictured right, is one of NOAA's Fisheries Survey Vessels the Oscar Dyson, alongside a Saildrone
in the Bering Sea in 2015. FSV's like the Oscar Dyson perform acoustic transects over large
areas of the ocean to produce fish abundance estimates.
"Fish stock assessments are key to the sustainable management of our fisheries and provide
the best scientific information available to determine the status of fish stocks. They guide the
setting of annual catch limits (ACLs) that prevent over fishing and attain optimum yield from
our fisheries." (NOAA 2015)
Saildrone has worked closely with SIMRAD, part of the Kongsberg group, and PMEL, to
incorporate the very latest acoustic fish stock assessment device (wide band transceiver) onto
the Saildrone platform. Additional trials and inter-comparisons with the Oscar Dyson were
conducted throughout summer 2016 in the Bering Sea.
Acoustic-Trawl surveys from Saildrone Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) augmenting

Fisheries Survey Vessels have the potential to reduce the number of ship days required per
assessment and allow additional sampling of currently und
ENVIRONMENTAL DATA SOLUTIONS
MONITORING THE ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS
STAY AHEAD OF DISASTERS

There are many ways that our oceans and waterways get contaminated. Whether it is nitrate
run off from farmland, harmful algae blooms, or oil spills, these events all have an effect on the
delicate balance of the ocean ecosystem. Quantifying these events, and assessing the effects
on the natural habitat is requires a persistent presence, often in a busy or congested
waterway.
Saildrone's USV are equipped with environmental sensors to detect and monitor
environmental health.
Working with ECOGIG, part of the Gulf of Mexico Research Institute, Saildrone conducted
multiple long duration missions in the Gulf of Mexico during 2015. Saildrone Unmanned
Surface Vehicle (USV) successfully located and tracked natural oil seeps and measured the
biological responses to these seeps in the process. Positive oil ID's were confirmed with
manned overflights.
Saildrone's proven ability to detect events like oil seeps and maintain a persistent presence is a
valuable tool for mitigating risk of environmental or economic impact, and also allows prompt
cleanup response should an event be detected.

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https://www.saildrone.

REAL TIME DATA

SAILDRONE OFFERS A FULLY MANAGED

ENABLING BETTER FORECASTS

Acoustic-Trawl surveys from Saildrone Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) augmenting

STAY AHEAD OF DISASTERS

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