Denmark’s armed forces have deployed four uncrewed robotic sailboats, named “Voyagers,” for a three-month operational trial in Danish and NATO waters.
Built by Saildrone, a California-based company, these 10-meter-long vessels are designed for surveillance and can operate autonomously for months at sea, powered by wind and solar energy. The deployment follows heightened maritime tensions and suspected sabotage in the Baltic and North Seas since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Two of the Voyagers were launched on Monday from Koge Marina, near Copenhagen, joining two others already on NATO patrol since June 6.
Equipped with advanced sensor suites, including radar, infrared and optical cameras, sonar, and acoustic monitoring, the sailboats enhance maritime surveillance capabilities in the region.
Saildrone founder and CEO Richard Jenkins compared the vessels to a “truck” that carries sensors and uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to give a “full picture of what’s above and below the surface” to about 20 to 30 miles (30 to 50 kilometers) in the open ocean.
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