US launches trials of unmanned sailing ship Saildrone Explorer in the Red Sea

The US Navy has begun operational testing of the Saildrone Explorer, an unmanned surface ship powered by solar and wind power. The tests are being carried out in the Gulf of Aqaba in the north of the Red Sea. This is the coast of Jordan.

The Naval Command believes that drones-sailboats can in the future become a very valuable tool for reconnaissance and surveillance not only in the Middle East, but throughout the world. The base of the Royal Jordanian Navy in the port of Aqaba is used as a testing site. The exercises were observed by the commander of the Central Command of the 5th fleet United States Vice Admiral Brad Cooper and Commander of the Royal Jordanian Navy Colonel Hisham Khalil Aljarra.

As the commander of the 59 task force, which is testing the sailing drone, noted, the drone uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to obtain more complete information about the events taking place in the water area. The military calls the Saildrone Explorer the ideal platform for coastal and open ocean monitoring. The vessel was designed to collect oceanographic data, but can also be used for exploration, including during extreme weather conditions.

On board drone equipment has been installed that makes it possible in any weather and at any time of the day to monitor events taking place in the coastal zone or in the open ocean. These are night vision cameras, conventional video cameras, and automatic target recognition equipment. Such capabilities of drones made the US naval command think about the possibility of eliminating the class of coastal warships, since drones are many times cheaper and do not require the maintenance of a large crew. It is estimated that Saildrone can be used for its intended purpose for as little as $2500 a day or $30 a year.

The technical feature of a composite sail is the presence of a solar battery and devices for using wind energy.

The Navy believes that the unmanned ship Saildrone Explorer could be an excellent addition to the capabilities of the Royal Jordanian Navy in the Gulf of Aqaba, given that the port of Aqaba is the only major port in the country. It would be worth taking care of the safety of the Jordanian port, since the region is witnessing an increase in the activity of Iran and the Houthis supported by it in Yemen. According to American intelligence, the Houthis will try to include territories adjacent to Israel's southern borders, including the coast of Jordan, within the reach of their missiles and drones.

At the same time, the US Navy allows the deployment of unmanned ships in almost all regions of the world, including not only the Red Sea, but also the Persian Gulf, the Mediterranean Sea, etc. It is obvious that in the future the naval command will be interested in using such unmanned ships in the Indo-Pacific region, where threats and challenges from China are growing, as at least the United States says.

Comments

[APASUS]

I read a strange piece of information. I thought that during a storm this robot gets flooded, but it turns out not. What is his operating principle then that does not turn him over with the wind?

[dauria]

What is his operating principle then that does not turn him over with the wind?

Yacht. Below is a heavy keel-wing. There, most likely, everything is heavy - batteries and other junk. Therefore, Vanka is vstanka. And the wing behind the sail on the beam - most likely so as not only not to waste energy on rearranging the wing-sail, but also the axis closer to the center of gravity of the rigid wing - the roll will be less to the leeward side. Turn the hull to the wind as it should, unlock the axle stopper, the wind will turn the sail like a weather vane, fix the stopper - and set off with the desired tack.

[APASUS]

Quote: dauria

Yacht. Below is a heavy keel-wing.

Not too lightweight when the wave hits?

[dauria]

Not too lightweight when the wave hits?

Joshua Slokam made a solo trip around the world on the Spray yacht a hundred years ago. And a canvas sail, and a wooden boat. And the scale here plays into the hands of the designers - the smaller the size, the stronger. The plastic bottle will definitely survive the storm, but the destroyers broke in half.

[Alien From]

So Fedor Konyukhov will become unemployed))))

[Ingvar 72]

In any weather? The sail in the photo is hard, you can't lower it in a storm, don't reef it, don't put a storm staysail. Yes, most likely a tumbler drone, but in a protracted storm it will split into trash.

[Flooding]

Quote: Ingvar 72

In any weather? The sail in the photo is hard, you can't lower it in a storm, don't reef it, don't put a storm staysail. Yes, most likely a tumbler drone, but in a protracted storm it will split into trash.

variable sail area

and a huge keel

[Ingvar 72]

Quote: Flood

variable sail area

It won't help, most yachtsmen will agree with me.
In strong winds even sports yachts lower their sails and run on diesel. Or go to drift.

[Flooding]

Quote: Ingvar 72

Even sports yachts lower their sails in strong winds and run on diesel

it is more difficult for a person to argue with a stormy wind than a boat full of sensors with full automatic control.

[Ingvar 72]

Maybe, but with a fixed sail, no automation will predict wind gusts. The carbon masts are breaking like splinters.

[tikhonov66]

"... it is more difficult for a person to argue with a storm wind than a boat full of sensors with full automatic control.
..."
- It is more difficult for a person to argue with a storm wind - than for a mattress military-industrial complex to cut the US defense budget. eight-))
- Back in the 80s, the USSR showed the futility of installing lasers on offshore platforms - and especially infrared ones - as the most efficient in terms of thermal effect. And the Americans - had FULL ACCESS to these reports (since the 90s they had access to ALL 8 - ((- and even "bought for scrap" a Soviet experimental vessel with a prototype of a combat laser installation from the skakuas).
So what?
- How many reports have there been over the past 30 years about "the development of laser weapons for the US Navy" ?! - SEA SPILLED.
- and where is now that "naval laser weapon together with theirs railguns" - AH ?!
- and rightly so - but by POCKETS.
8-))
- keep it up, mattress VPK!

So it is here. All this, of course, will swim ... in tropical latitudes and with moderate waves. Another question is how long it will float - especially when the sea is strong enough. And what will happen to this "chud" in "high latitudes" - with low clouds, continuous waves and icing - it's still funny.
- but to sell it to the "king of Jordan" is aaatlich idea. In a storm, the "commander of the Royal Jordanian Navy" will not look at this crap. So, another aboriginal divorce on beads and net profit is peaking.
8-)

[tikhonov66]

A good side impact of the Crest of the wave into the lateral projection of the "sail" - and the stabilizing effect of the "huge keel" - will be quite enough to BREAK the entot-very "sail" - to the dog's pigs - "under the very spine".
- well ... I think that with the dimensions of the sail shown here, the "torque" applied "to the attachment point of the sail to the hull" may well reach several tons per meter ... CRASH - and "moment at sea" 8- ))

[Flooding]

Quote: tikhonov66

A good side impact of the Crest of the wave into the lateral projection of the "sail" - and the stabilizing effect of the "huge keel" - will be quite enough to BREAK the entot-very "sail" - to the dog's pigs - "under the very spine".

it is obvious to the student
but automation is needed so that the wind blows into the plane of the sail at a safe angle

[ycuce234-san]

"but automation is needed so that the wind blows into the plane of the sail at a safe angle"

This is not a sail, but an aerodynamic profile (like an air wing). It always faces the winds with its edge, thanks to the weather vane, and therefore will not break. In general, for speed, it would be worth thinking about putting on the ship not just a keel, but hydrofoils.

[Flooding]

Quote: ycuce234-san

This is not a sail, but an aerodynamic profile (like an air wing)

thanks for the amendment
you are probably right

[ycuce234-san]

By the way - on the overwhelming wave, it most likely lies in either direction, as it is mounted on a springy support.
There are also more extreme structures that can work in even stronger waves, and even move at the expense of it, but in calm waters and with weak waves, sails and profiles are better.

[Sidor Amenpodestovich]

I will hear you and come to you right away!
And I will immediately take the trouble away from you!
Danger, adversity-

In any weather?

Always call me!
Kim can do anything!

[Ingvar 72]

Quote: Sidor Amenpodestovich

I will hear you and come to you right away!

Squirrel?

[Sidor Amenpodestovich]

Joke. The cartoon "Kim-Five with Plus" was once shown on TV. This is a fragment of a song from there.

[Ingvar 72]

A-ah .... And I'm really scared for you!

[Sidor Amenpodestovich]

Thanks for work.
Fooling around from time to time is very beneficial to reduce stress levels. But without fanaticism. Otherwise it will turn into a habit and become buffoonery.

[Ingvar 72]

I agree, everything is good in moderation.

[Sidor Amenpodestovich]

Quote: Ingvar 72

everything is good in moderation.

This means that everything is moderately good!

[skipper83]

So if you use it in the Red Sea, then there really are no storms.

[Bear]

Something we have not heard about the development, testing and implementation of surface drones as a class. And we would also use drones for OVR. The Chinese rivet in dozens, striped, Turks, all and sundry. No matter how you again have to act in the role of catch-up in this direction. One hope is that we seem to be moving at the proper level with regard to underwater drones, maybe they will be able to solve the OVR tasks?

[NDR-791]

Quote: Orso

Something we have not heard about the development, testing and implementation of surface drones as a class. And we would also use drones for OVR.

Previously, every schoolchild could do this. "And I was there, drinking honey-beer" Only solar panels did not exist then.

[tralflot1832]

On September 24, 2021, the first unmanned vessel Pioneer M was launched in St. Petersburg to test technologies.

[tikhonov66]

"... And we would also need drones for OVR ..."
- so many times.
a surface drone in high latitudes - with continuous wave and icing - this is nonsense.
- and the Chinese - they can.
In their seas - the drone will not turn into an iceberg - "The water is not that ..."
8-)

[Starover_Z]

Why don't they feel under their US shores? Nowhere or not interesting?

[vadimtt]

They have already experienced it, now in conditions close to combat
But I agree that the wrong place was chosen, it was necessary to be closer to the roaring 40s, apparently they were afraid

[Barge_watchman]

simply, chop the tail piece by piece.

[Galleon]

Quote: vadimtt

They have already experienced it, now in conditions close to combat
But I agree that the wrong place was chosen, it was necessary to be closer to the roaring 40s, apparently they were afraid

Some words: "to the roaring 40s." But what can these drones do there? In the Red Sea, they monitor Iran for the sake of Israel's interests and the free passage of tankers. On the southern maritime border of the United States, they have a job to track drug trafficking. Quite enough for peacetime. And then - this is not the main intelligence channel, one of the auxiliary ones. The main one flies high.
And they are not afraid of anything there. Have you seen the hydrophone cable from their sonar buoy? You can tear it apart! One must not be afraid - it is normal to count, to do the calculations.

[rocket757]

US launches trials of unmanned sailing ship Saildrone Explorer in the Red Sea

... Nicely conceived!
From a practical point of view ... and it is still worth looking at.

[Barge_watchman]

Красиво.
Looked, - thought.
And it will be able to deliver and select a grid? I represent the faces of fish inspectors ...

[ycuce234-san]

Such capabilities of drones forced the American naval command to think about the possibility of eliminating the class of coastal warships, since drones are much cheaper and do not require the maintenance of a large crew. It is estimated that Saildrone can be used for its intended purposes for as little as $ 2500 per day or $ 30 per year.

Drones are also very well suited for monitoring and reconnaissance of ice-covered seas. A program of ice and air drones will cost less than maintaining a seedy icebreaker. And they will be able to engage in geological exploration.

[Vladimir61]

Quote: Starover_Z

Why don't they feel under their US shores?

Make an invitation to "others" for tests in the Gulf of Mexico ...

[the same doctor]

about five years ago, I offered such a carrier for the needs of the PLO. Maybe even on your website.

[agond]

Indeed, a very convenient means for detecting and tracking, and not only waiting for the needs of the PLO, but also the AUG can be monitored, and the costs are extremely minimal, except that once a year to raise the unmanned yacht model and clean the hull from fouling.

[Reserve buildbat]

"It is estimated that Saildrone can be used for its intended purposes for as little as $ 2500 a day or $ 30 a year."
What is it like? 2500 dead a day or a month? Or will the "drone" float no more than 12 days a year?