The US Navy has awarded California-based Saildrone a $10 million contract to map parts of the Atlantic Ocean floor using autonomous vessels, expanding the military’s knowledge of terrain beneath strategically important waters.
Assigned by the Naval Oceanographic Office, the survey will begin in 2026 and continue through most of 2027. Saildrone’s Surveyor unmanned surface vessels (USVs) will collect high-resolution bathymetric data across international waters.
The information will support safe navigation, submarine missions, anti-submarine warfare, critical infrastructure protection, rescue operations, and vessel route planning. Saildrone said the deployment will build on its ocean-mapping work for the US government, which began in 2019.
Closing gaps in ocean-floor knowledge
Bathymetry measures the depth and physical shape of the seafloor, revealing underwater mountains, trenches, ridges, and canyons that can affect naval operations.
Only 28.7 percent of theworld’s oceanshave been mapped to modern standards. Much of the remaining seabed is understood through lower-resolution estimates that may not capture hazards or terrain features in sufficient detail.
For submarines and surface vessels, those knowledge gaps can create operational risks. High-resolution maps help crews identify submerged obstacles, update navigation charts, and plan routes through unfamiliar waters.
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“High-resolution ocean mapping is vital to the US Navy’s maritime superiority and strategic advantage, enabling safe navigation, effective submarine operations, and fleet lethality,”said Kitch Kennedy, senior director of ocean mapping at Saildrone.
Autonomous vessels extend survey reach
The Navy has traditionally relied on crewed survey ships and oceanographic specialists to gather seabed data. Long-endurance autonomous vessels can supplement those ships by covering large and remote areas without requiring personnel to remain aboard.
This approach allows Navy crews and specialists to concentrate on regions that require direct human expertise while autonomous platforms conduct lengthy surveys elsewhere.
In addition to mapping seafloor features, the Surveyor can measure ocean currents to depths of about 3,280 feet.
Current data can assist search-and-recovery teams by helping them estimate how people, aircraft debris, or other objects may drift after entering the water.
A 100-day drone ship
Saildrone’s Surveyor is a 66-foot-long unmanned vessel weighing about 15 tons. Its wing rises approximately 43 feet and is made from carbon-fiber and fiberglass composites, while the hull uses marine-grade aluminum.
The platform can carry infrared cameras, radar, satellite communications, transreceivers, and machine-learning systems designed to detect potential threats. Its modular configuration supports both scientific surveys and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
An 80-horsepower diesel generator helps the vessel operate when winds are weak. The Surveyor can travel at up to 6 knots, or roughly 7 miles per hour, and has a range exceeding 2,500 nautical miles.
With an endurance of as much as 100 days, the vessel is designed to remain at sea through long surveys and unpredictable Atlantic conditions.
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The US Navy has awarded California-based Saildrone a $10 million contract to map parts of the Atlantic Ocean floor using autonomous vessels, expanding the military’s knowledge of terrain beneath strategically important waters.
Assigned by the Naval Oceanographic Office, the survey will begin in 2026 and continue through most of 2027. Saildrone’s Surveyor unmanned surface vessels (USVs) will collect high-resolution bathymetric data across international waters.
The information will support safe navigation, submarine missions, anti-submarine warfare, critical infrastructure protection, rescue operations, and vessel route planning. Saildrone said the deployment will build on its ocean-mapping work for the US government, which began in 2019.
Closing gaps in ocean-floor knowledge
Bathymetry measures the depth and physical shape of the seafloor, revealing underwater mountains, trenches, ridges, and canyons that can affect naval operations.
Only 28.7 percent of theworld’s oceanshave been mapped to modern standards. Much of the remaining seabed is understood through lower-resolution estimates that may not capture hazards or terrain features in sufficient detail.
For submarines and surface vessels, those knowledge gaps can create operational risks. High-resolution maps help crews identify submerged obstacles, update navigation charts, and plan routes through unfamiliar waters.
More from Military
See AllMilitaryNew F-16G proposal could help US Air Force maintain its shrinking fighter fleetMilitaryBoeing’s unmanned MQ-25 tanker moves closer to joining US Navy carriers in 2029Military1,00,000-ton US aircraft carrier returns to fleet, critical systems upgraded to boost battle readinessMilitaryUS Air Force starts Missouri’s first $75M hangar for $700M stealth B-21 bomber fleetCulture1,500-mph F-16 fighter jet crashes in Michigan, triggering one-mile evacuationThe data can also support submarine and anti-submarine operations because underwater terrain influences acoustic propagation and maneuvering. Better environmental knowledge may give naval forces a clearer understanding of how sound travels through a particular area.
“High-resolution ocean mapping is vital to the US Navy’s maritime superiority and strategic advantage, enabling safe navigation, effective submarine operations, and fleet lethality,”said Kitch Kennedy, senior director of ocean mapping at Saildrone.
Autonomous vessels extend survey reach
The Navy has traditionally relied on crewed survey ships and oceanographic specialists to gather seabed data. Long-endurance autonomous vessels can supplement those ships by covering large and remote areas without requiring personnel to remain aboard.
This approach allows Navy crews and specialists to concentrate on regions that require direct human expertise while autonomous platforms conduct lengthy surveys elsewhere.
In addition to mapping seafloor features, the Surveyor can measure ocean currents to depths of about 3,280 feet.
Current data can assist search-and-recovery teams by helping them estimate how people, aircraft debris, or other objects may drift after entering the water.
A 100-day drone ship
Saildrone’s Surveyor is a 66-foot-long unmanned vessel weighing about 15 tons. Its wing rises approximately 43 feet and is made from carbon-fiber and fiberglass composites, while the hull uses marine-grade aluminum.
The platform can carry infrared cameras, radar, satellite communications, transreceivers, and machine-learning systems designed to detect potential threats. Its modular configuration supports both scientific surveys and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
An 80-horsepower diesel generator helps the vessel operate when winds are weak. The Surveyor can travel at up to 6 knots, or roughly 7 miles per hour, and has a range exceeding 2,500 nautical miles.
With an endurance of as much as 100 days, the vessel is designed to remain at sea through long surveys and unpredictable Atlantic conditions.
Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.
By subscribing, you agree to our
Terms of Useand
PoliciesYou may unsubscribe at any time.
0
COMMENT
Subscribe to
Today!
Access to exclusive content, expert insights and a deeper dive into engineering and tech. No ads, no limits.
Explore Now!By
Atharva GosaviAtharva is a full-time content writer with a post-graduate degree in media & amp; entertainment and a graduate degree in electronics & telecommunications. He has written in the sports and technology domains respectively. In his leisure time, Atharva loves learning about digital marketing and watching soccer matches. His main goal behind joining Interesting Engineering is to learn more about how the recent technological advancements are helping human beings on both societal and individual levels in their daily lives.
- 1World’s first large-scale, green hydrogen-based steel plant can cut emissions by up to 95%
- 21,00,000-ton US aircraft carrier returns to fleet, critical systems upgraded to boost battle readiness
- 3California's new 1,000 MWh energy storage facility can deliver 250 MW for four hours
- 4$125 million boost takes advanced battery materials toward US-scale production
- 5New HALEU deal brings compact nuclear reactors closer to military bases, space
