Saildrone Explorer Context

Market context

Explorer is Saildrone autonomous surface vehicle for ocean data collection using wind and solar power for long-duration missions.

Target environment: Open ocean and coastal marine environments.
Workflow context: Ocean data collection, environmental monitoring and climate research using wind and solar-powered autonomous surface vehicles.
Customer context: Oceanographic researchers and environmental monitoring agencies.
Deployment model: Commercial autonomous surface vehicle with global ocean deployment.
Commercial maturity: Established USV platform with broad research and government adoption.
Adoption constraints: Wind and solar propulsion limits speed. Best suited to persistent monitoring missions.
Market position: Saildrone foundational USV platform for long-duration ocean data collection and environmental monitoring.
Adjacent products: Saildrone Voyager, Surveyor, ocean monitoring USVs

Marine operators

Ocean data collection, environmental monitoring and climate research using wind and solar-powered autonomous surface vehicles.

Open ocean and coastal marine environments.

Endurance Months: Up to 12 months at sea
Status: Commercially deployed
Form Type: Sail-driven ocean drone
Length: 7 m
Propulsion: Wind-powered wing sail with solar-electric backup
Power: Solar-powered electronics and instruments
Sensors Summary: AIS transceiver, smart camera array, environmental sensors (wave height and period, barometric pressure, ocean currents, seafloor depth, chlorophyll)
Operational Role: Ocean data collection, environmental monitoring, maritime domain awareness
Workflow Focus: Oceanographic survey, environmental monitoring, maritime surveillance
Operational Environment: Open ocean, global
Autonomy Model: Autonomous waypoint navigation with obstacle avoidance
Communication: Iridium satellite
Deployment Maturity: Commercially deployed across multiple ocean basins