Saildrone has conducted a survey of 1,500 square nautical miles of the seafloor in a region of the Gulf of Maine, uncovering a diverse and intricate underwater landscape.
Two Saildrone Voyager uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) conducted the survey in the north-central Gulf of Maine, an area that had not been previously mapped in high resolution, focusing on deep-sea corals.
High-quality mapping data is key to locating deep-sea corals, which provide habitat for essential fisheries. The survey focused primarily on the Jordan and Georges Basins, at depths reaching up to 300 meters (900 feet). The collected data has revealed a diverse and intricate underwater landscape, shaped by its glacial past and ongoing oceanographic processes.
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The Gulf of Maine
Located between Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the Gulf of Maine is a dynamic and productive marine ecosystem. It supports a variety of economically significant fisheries, such as Atlantic cod, herring, lobster, and scallops.
The region is known for its unique underwater habitats, including kelp forests, eelgrass beds, and deep-sea corals, which provide essential shelter and breeding grounds for numerous marine species.
The seafloor of the Gulf of Maine features a complex topography with deep basins, shallow banks, and steep slopes. However, high-resolution mapping data is extremely limited, particularly in its deeper regions.
The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), typically extending from a nation’s coast to 200 nautical miles offshore, is a maritime area where a country has jurisdiction over natural resources.
Covering over four million square miles, the U.S. EEZ is larger than all 50 states combined, yet 48% of it remains unmapped and unexplored. Accurate information on ocean depths and seafloor topography is crucial for effective resource management and for the responsible development and maintenance of coastal infrastructure.
To enhance knowledge of the seafloor, the U.S. established the Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the United States Exclusive Economic Zone (NOMEC). The Gulf of Maine is among the highest priorities for mapping due to its important commercial fisheries, which thrive in diverse habitats, including those formed by deep-sea corals, and its potential for supporting wind energy development.
Image of data collected by Saildrone showing the varied topography in the Gulf of Maine.
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Saildrone Voyager
The Saildrone Voyager is a 10-meter (33-foot) USV specifically designed for near-shore ocean and lakebed mapping. It is equipped with scientific sensors, mapping echo sounders, and navigation and communication tools.
The USV is capable of conducting long-duration, International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)-compliant multibeam mapping surveys and collecting ocean data at depths up to 300 meters (984 feet). Powered primarily by wind and solar energy, the Voyager also features a high-efficiency electric motor to enhance speed and maneuverability in low wind conditions.
The multibeam and backscatter data collected in the Gulf of Maine from Saildrone USVs will support the development of new species distribution models, which were previously impossible due to the lack of high-resolution seafloor data.
These new maps will also contribute to updating nautical charts, improving navigation, and addressing significant gaps in bathymetric coverage. The wider mission supports the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s deep-sea coral surveys and other NOAA initiatives.
Heather Coleman, a researcher with the NOAA Fisheries Office of Habitat Conservation’s Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program, commented, “The Saildrone Voyagers are filling in a substantial gap in seafloor data in the Gulf of Maine.
“NOAA and partners are very interested in better understanding habitats in the region that may support fish production. These high-resolution seafloor maps will inform future surveying and modeling efforts, as well as aid in the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC)’s fishery management decisions.”
Brian Connon, Saildrone’s VP of Ocean Mapping, added, “This is the first successful demonstration of Saildrone Voyager mapping capabilities, pushing the envelope of what is possible using autonomous systems for shallow to mid-depth EEZ mapping.
“Its state-of-the-art Norbit multibeam echo sounder combined with near-silent operations and classification from the American Bureau of Shipping, make Saildrone’s Voyager the USV of choice for near-shore mapping. These capabilities can be applied for any number of missions, from habitat exploration to safety of navigation to site characterization for offshore wind.”
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