ABS grants class certification to autonomous deep-sea USV Saildrone Surveyor
The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has officially granted class certification to the Saildrone Surveyor, a fully autonomous unmanned surface vessel (USV) measuring 20 meters, capable of carrying out missions across all the world’s oceans.
The Surveyor is the largest platform in Saildrone’s fleet of USVs, designed to provide maritime security services, oceanographic and meteorological monitoring, as well as deep-sea mapping using autonomous technologies.
“ABS and Saildrone are breaking new ground and setting the pace for innovation. This milestone confirms that our Rules support emerging technologies while maintaining a strong focus on safety,” said Patrick Ryan, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at ABS.
“ABS Class certification is more than just a document. It’s a signal to governments and the maritime industry that Saildrone’s USVs are mature, safe, proven, and ready to scale,” added Richard Jenkins, Founder and CEO of Saildrone.
Capabilities of the Saildrone Surveyor
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Length: 20 meters
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Fully autonomous missions without crew onboard
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Collection of deep-sea bathymetric data
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Wide range of maritime domain awareness operations
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Remote monitoring and control 24/7 by Saildrone’s global operations team
This milestone follows the certification of the smaller 10-meter Voyager, which received ABS Class in 2023 and is designed for continuous coastal monitoring.
Saildrone emphasized that obtaining ABS Class certification required years of investment and testing, making it the first company in the world to have autonomous USVs recognized at such a high level.
