Saildrone’s Surveyor-class of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) has received full classification from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). The Surveyor is the largest of the company’s three USV platforms.
The 10-metre Voyager is designed for persistent surveillance in coastal and near-shore environments, complementing the Surveyor’s blue-water capabilities. Both platforms are capable of fully autonomous operations with no humans on board and are remotely monitored 24/7 by Saildrone’s global Mission Management team.
First to receive full classification
‘The ABS class certification is more than a certificate, it’s a signal to governments and the maritime industry that Saildrone USVs are mature, safe, tested, and ready for scale,’ says Richard Jenkins, Saildrone founder and CEO. ‘It’s been a very large investment and a multi-year process to achieve ABS Class Certification, but we are proud to be the first company in the world to do so and proud that our systems have reached the highest standards as required by the ABS Class certificate.’
Rigorous review
The classification notation assigned is ✠ A1, DV Naval Craft, AUTONOMOUS (NAV, MNV, PRP, AUX, RO3), which follows the “Rules for Building and Classing Light Warships, Patrol, and High-Speed Naval Vessels (2023)”.
The classification process is a rigorous review and validation of a vessel’s design, construction, and autonomous control systems. For unmanned platforms like the Saildrone Surveyor and Saildrone Voyager, this process includes autonomous control systems, cybersecure communications, structural integrity, and fail-safe redundancies, ensuring the vehicle can safely operate without crew, even in complex, unpredictable ocean conditions.
Saildrone USVs are currently supporting missions around the world, including ocean mapping, border security, persistent ISR, and critical infrastructure security.
