Saildrone Surveyor

Source-backed capabilities

• Capability areas: Autonomous navigation
• Workflows: Autonomous Surface Vessel, Marine data collection, Maritime USV
• Operating environments: Outdoor field environment
• Deployment model: Uncrewed surface vessel operated for ocean survey, ISR, hydrographic mapping and mission payload work.
• Electronic-warfare sensing and response

  Demonstrated - 2026-08-20 - A passive electronic-warfare sensor also detected, classified and identified a surrogate threat radar.

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• Electronic-warfare sensing and response

  Demonstrated - 2026-08-20 - A separate passive electronic-warfare test used the Surveyor with an MH-60S helicopter to detect, classify and identify a surrogate threat radar.

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• Operating Milestone

  8,665 square nautical miles mapped off California - Aleutians Uncrewed Ocean Exploration

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• Operating Milestone

  4,738 square nautical miles mapped around the Aleutians - Aleutians Uncrewed Ocean Exploration

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• Operating Milestone

  52-day mission - Aleutians Uncrewed Ocean Exploration

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• Operating Use

  1 Surveyor completed an autonomous deep-water cable-route survey for Meta - Meta - maritime - Saildrone documented a Surveyor USV completing an autonomous deep-water cable-route survey for Meta.

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• Operating Use

  1 Surveyor mapped seafloor between San Francisco and Hawaii - San Francisco–Hawaii route - maritime - Saildrone documented a Surveyor mission mapping seafloor between San Francisco and Hawaii.

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• Operating Use

  13,000 square nautical miles under survey - 2026-02-24 - Woolpert / NOAA - maritime - Saildrone began Surveyor bathymetric data collection for Woolpert and NOAA across 13,000 square nautical miles near the Mariana Islands.

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Exact-product configurations are shown without inferring supply, purchase, customer status, standard fit, deployment or partnership.

• Lockheed Martin passive electronic-warfare capability

  2026-08-20 - Physical Demo - Mounted - Physical - Saildrone and Lockheed Martin demonstrated passive electronic-warfare sensing from a Surveyor USV with an MH-60S helicopter.

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• Lockheed Martin JAGM launcher and ARES fire-control integration

  2026-08-20 - Physical Demo - Mounted - Physical - Saildrone and Lockheed Martin demonstrated JAGM launches from an integrated Surveyor USV.

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Supply / Components

• Saildrone Surveyor

  Next Generation Saildrone Surveyor European Contract Manufacturing - Manufacturing - Umoe Mandal - Umoe Mandal will produce the next-generation Saildrone Surveyor in Norway - source: saildrone.com

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• Saildrone Surveyor

  Saildrone Surveyor Wing Manufacturing Poland - Manufacturing - Southern Spars - Southern Spars will manufacture Saildrone Surveyor wings in Poland - source: saildrone.com

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• Saildrone Surveyor

  Starlink Communications System - connectivity - SpaceX - Saildrone Surveyor integrates Starlink satellite communications - source: saildrone.com

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• Saildrone Surveyor

  Kongsberg Em304 Mkii And Em2040 Multibeam Sonars For Surveyor - sensors - KONGSBERG - Saildrone Surveyor integrates Kongsberg EM304 MKII and EM2040 multibeam sonar systems - source: saildrone.com

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• Saildrone Surveyor

  Saildrone Surveyor Contract Manufacturing - Manufacturing - Austal - Austal manufactures Saildrone Surveyor autonomous vessels under an exclusive arrangement - source: austal.com

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• Saildrone Surveyor fires JAGM missiles during RIMPAC

  2026-08-20 - Demonstration - The live-fire operation was conducted off Hawaii under the Navy Fleet Experimentation Program. The Surveyor acted on target data for a surrogate high-speed surface craft through the ARES combat system. A passive electronic-warfare sensor also detected, classified and identified a surrogate threat radar.

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• Saildrone and Lockheed demonstrate missile launch from USV

  2026-08-20 - Demonstration - The Surveyor acted on target data for a surrogate high-speed surface craft during the live-fire exercise near Hawaii. The team moved from concept to demonstration in six months in partnership with the U.S. Navy. A separate passive electronic-warfare test used the Surveyor with an MH-60S helicopter to detect, classify and identify a surrogate threat radar.

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• Saildrone opens European HQ and names three regional build partners

  2026-08-17 - Facility Opening - Van der Valk Shipyard will build the first European 52-metre Saildrone Spectre in the Netherlands. Umoe Mandal will produce the next-generation Surveyor in Norway, while Southern Spars will manufacture Surveyor wings in Poland. The Copenhagen base will support European deployment, maintenance, piloting, mission management, vehicle assembly and technical operations.

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• Saildrone Surveyor begins Mariana Islands mapping for Woolpert and NOAA

  2026-02-24 - Deployment - Woolpert was selected by NOAA and partnered with Saildrone for autonomous data acquisition. Survey data was transmitted to Woolpert in near real time for processing and delivery. The underway contract was expected to conclude in May 2026.

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• American Bureau of Shipping issues full classification for Saildrone Surveyor

  2025-05-06 - Regulatory - Saildrone announced that the Surveyor platform received full classification from the American Bureau of Shipping. The company said the classification sets a benchmark for safety and reliability in autonomous maritime systems. The milestone validates the Surveyor-class USV for long-duration autonomous maritime operations.

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• Austal USA selected to build 65-foot Saildrone Surveyor USVs

  2022-09-01 - Commercial Order - The Surveyor is a 65-foot, or 20-metre, uncrewed surface vehicle. Its roles include deep-ocean mapping and maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Manufacturing was assigned to Austal USA’s Mobile shipyard.

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Market context

Saildrone Surveyor is Saildrone's 72-foot uncrewed surface vehicle for deep-ocean mapping, maritime data collection and defence payload integration.

• Target environment: Open ocean, deep-water survey areas, maritime security zones and naval operating environments.
• Workflow context: Bathymetric mapping, ocean data collection, maritime domain awareness, persistent patrol and payload carriage.
• Deployment model: Uncrewed surface vessel operated for ocean survey, ISR, hydrographic mapping and mission payload work.
• Commercial maturity: Public Saildrone platform with operational ocean data missions and defence integration activity.
• Adoption constraints: Requires mission planning, maritime permissions, payload integration, shore support and long-duration vessel operations.
• Market position: Large USV for persistent ocean operations, combining survey endurance with expanding defence mission scope.
• Adjacent products: Large uncrewed vessel for ocean mapping, maritime awareness and naval mission payloads.

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