Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

American company Saildrone and Australian defense technology leader Thales have joined forces to combine their cutting-edge technologies. The result is an autonomous system that pairs Saildrone's unmanned surface vessel, Surveyor, with the towed hydroacoustic antenna, BlueSentry. This innovative solution enables long-term, real-time underwater surveillance without human intervention, Azernews reports.

The system harnesses wind energy for propulsion and satellite communications for data transmission. It is designed to identify both surface and underwater threats and can operate autonomously for several months, offering a highly economical alternative to traditional marine reconnaissance methods.

Saildrone is known for its unmanned surface vehicles, which are specifically designed for hydrographic surveys, monitoring marine energy facilities, and safeguarding infrastructure. The Surveyor is equipped with BlueSentry, a sophisticated sonar antenna developed by Thales, which integrates advanced fiber-optic and hydrophone technologies for superior detection capabilities.

Sea trials conducted off the coast of California have demonstrated the system's effectiveness. During testing, the combined Surveyor and BlueSentry system successfully identified and classified underwater and surface threats. Real-time data was continuously transmitted to command centers, ensuring timely decision-making. Over the course of 26 days of operation, the system maintained uninterrupted performance in over 96% of cases.

The use of wind energy for propulsion has made the Surveyor nearly silent, enhancing the BlueSentry sonar’s ability to detect targets without interference. Additionally, Starlink and Iridium satellite communications ensure secure and continuous data transmission, allowing operators to make decisions remotely, no matter their location.

Richard Jenkins, founder and CEO of Saildrone, emphasized the system's autonomous capabilities, noting that it opens up the possibility for surveillance in previously inaccessible areas. He also highlighted that the operating costs of this system are significantly lower than traditional manned platforms, making it an economically viable option for extended operations.

Saildrone's unmanned surface vehicles have already demonstrated their impressive endurance. Collectively, they have spent over 46,000 days at sea, covering nearly 3 million kilometers, even in some of the most challenging marine environments.
Saildrone and Thales Australia are now poised to deploy these autonomous, self-sustaining surveillance systems on a larger scale to bolster national security. In the face of increasing underwater threats and the growing need for persistent monitoring, this system offers an affordable and scalable solution. With its ability to operate continuously without the need for human intervention, it is positioned to become a game-changer in the field of maritime defense and surveillance.