Saildrone plans Antarctic fur-seal tracking mission
Saildrone described a planned Antarctic mission combining USV echo-sounder surveys with GPS-tagged fur-seal movements.
Why it matters
The proposed mission linked autonomous acoustic surveys with tagged-animal movement data to study how changing prey availability affects Antarctic fur seals.
Evidence notes
- The planned USVs would use echo sounders to survey krill and fish in the seals' foraging area.
- Researchers intended to compare those acoustic observations with movements from GPS-tagged Antarctic fur seals.
- The work formed part of the 2019 Saildrone Antarctic Mission and its climate-science programme.
Company context
Saildrone builds and operates uncrewed surface vehicles for maritime intelligence, ocean mapping, ISR and environmental monitoring. Its platforms combine wind or solar power, onboard sensing and autonomy for long-endurance ocean missions.