Critical Data for Weather & Climate
The ocean is critically under-explored and lacks the monitoring systems needed to understand our climate. Advanced technologies are needed to effectively monitor our ocean and gain critical insights into climate science.
Benefits
Transforming Ocean Access through Advanced Technology
Over the past decade, Saildrone USVs have redefined the art of the possible for scientific research at sea. Traditionally, researchers have relied on expensive, carbon-intensive, and scarce crewed vessels to obtain the data needed to understand our changing climate. Saildrone USVs have dramatically reduced the cost, risk, and carbon footprint associated with data collection at sea, unlocking access to vast pools of data and transforming scientists’ understanding of the ocean’s impact on Earth’s climate.
Challenging Environments
Tried and tested in the most extreme ocean conditions, Saildrone USVs have consistently proven reliable and capable of continuing to collect high-quality data. Successful operations include groundbreaking missions in the Arctic, sailing into hurricanes, and the first autonomous circumnavigation of Antarctica.
Long-term Endurance
Saildrone's patented technology supports missions lasting up to 12 months, eliminating the necessity for land-based maintenance or refueling. Annual maintenance ensures the preservation of high data quality.
Data Quality
Saildrones are equipped with industry-leading instrumentation, sensors, and cameras. The high-quality data sets they generate have been validated by leading scientists in the field and adhere to stringent scientific criteria endorsed by leading global organizations such as the WMO and the IHO.
Multiple Mission Objectives
Saildrone USVs are capable of performing missions with multiple objectives simultaneously. Offering climate science researchers mission flexibility and increased return on investment.
Unparalleled Sensor Array
The ASVCO2 sensor that Saildrone USVs carry is specifically designed for our vehicles and has been validated by carbon experts internationally. This sensor, plus the expansive suite of other environmental sensors, offers climate researchers a greater array of sensors than any other autonomous platform.
Low Carbon
Powered by renewable wind and solar energy, Saildrone USVs are environmentally friendly and deliver a low-carbon solution for gathering critical meteorological and oceanographic data that meets scientific standards.
RECENT MISSIONS
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EXPLORE
Featured Resources
HOW IT WORKS
Your Mission is in Good Hands
Mission Planning
Saildrone undertakes a rigorous, comprehensive planning process in close collaboration with our customers. A thorough feasibility analysis identifies the deployment zone, and the most optimal routes for mission success are ascertained.
Mission Execution
Missions are fully managed by Saildrone, covering logistics, deployment, and operations. The Saildrone Mission Portal facilitates ongoing remote monitoring, allowing for immediate data access and quality assessment, allowing for on-the-fly adaptations to mission plans to meet customer specifications.
Post Mission
Once the vehicles return to shore, Saildrone handles all retrieval and logistical arrangements, and the raw data is downloaded and delivered to the customer.
Client Stories
Saildrone is proud to have partnered with leading organizations to help them successfully achieve their climate science mission objectives.
“
During our first mission in 2019, we learned a great deal. We had a singleSaildrone Explorer operating in the Gulf Stream for about 18 days. In thatshort period, we collected as many ocean CO2 measurements in the Gulf Streamfor the month of February as had ever been recorded in the entire history ofoceanography for that month.”
Jamie Palter
Oceanographer at University of Rhode Island
“
We’re grateful and happy for the cooperation with Saildrone. The team was very helpful and solutions-oriented, which was important for such a long-lasting mission as ATL2MED. We were also quite impressed by the amount of effort they put into piloting the saildrones—do they ever sleep?!”
Ingunn Skjelvan
Research Scientist at Norce Norwegian Research Centre and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research and Principal Investigator for Station Certification at ICOS
