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(221007-N-NS602-1218) ARABIAN GULF (Oct. 7, 2022) A Saildrone Explorer unmanned surface vessel (USV) operates with fast response cutter USCGC Robert Goldman (WPC 1142) in the Arabian Gulf during exercise Phantom Scope, Oct. 7. During the bilateral exercise between the United States and United Kingdom, USVs operated in conjunction with crewed ships and naval command centers ashore in Bahrain. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Roland Franklin)
CLEVELAND — The U.S. Coast Guard plans to deploy a new fleet of autonomous “sail drones” across the Great Lakes this summer, expanding the agency’s use of high-tech surveillance and emergency monitoring tools on one of the world’s largest freshwater systems.
The wind- and solar-powered vessels are expected to operate from May through October as part of an effort to strengthen maritime awareness, emergency response capabilities and border security along the U.S.-Canada boundary, according to the Coast Guard’s Great Lakes District.
Officials said the autonomous drones will collect weather and maritime data while patrolling the lakes, helping support search-and-rescue missions, emergency planning and the detection of suspicious or illegal activity on the water.
The vessels are equipped with radar, cameras and collision-avoidance artificial intelligence systems. Although they operate autonomously, Coast Guard officials said the drones will be monitored continuously by human operators who can assume manual control if necessary.
“The autonomous systems augment the essential needs of qualified Coast Guard crews operating on the Great Lakes,” the agency said in a statement announcing the deployment.
The drones are designed to provide real-time information about vessel traffic and conditions on the lakes. Coast Guard officials said the systems can help identify vessels in distress, monitor commercial and recreational boating traffic, and detect potential illegal operations.
The technology will supplement existing Coast Guard operations rather than replace personnel already assigned throughout the Great Lakes region, officials said.
The deployment reflects a broader push by the Coast Guard toward robotics and autonomous systems in recent years. Similar sail drones previously have been used on the Great Lakes for scientific and environmental research missions, including fisheries studies and environmental monitoring on Lakes Michigan, Huron and Superior.
This summer’s mission, however, shifts the focus more toward maritime security, law enforcement support and emergency preparedness.
For boaters and waterfront communities across the Great Lakes, the unusual-looking vessels could become a common sight during the navigation season as they silently patrol the lakes while gathering data around the clock.
The announcement was made May 5 by the Coast Guard Great Lakes District.
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