NOAA Invests $21.6M in Uncrewed Systems & Autonomous Tech for Fleet Expansion

NOAA has announced a $21,600,909 award to Chance Maritime Technologies, LLC., for the procurement of up to eight uncrewed marine systems over a five-year period.

The contract supports the agency’s mission to provide the essential tools and information required for the safe transport of $2.3 trillion in cargo moving through the nation’s ports and harbors. These advanced systems will be deployed on the Surveyor and Navigator, two new charting and mapping vessels for which NOAA hosted keel-laying events in 2025. The uncrewed technology is designed to complement traditional seafloor mapping methods and will be equipped to support additional data collection efforts, including fisheries acoustic surveys.

The new systems offer a versatile spectrum of command and control options. These capabilities include direct operator control, supervised control featuring semi-autonomous functions such as collision avoidance and dynamic course tracking, and fully autonomous operations for specific circumstances. This collaborative design between the vessels and the uncrewed systems ensures compliance with maritime regulations and supports high safety standards during operations.

“Uncrewed systems provide more efficiency in data collection, ensuring that our nation remains at the forefront of scientific innovation,” said Neil Jacobs, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. “The Administration’s focus on integrating emerging technologies into agency operations allows NOAA to serve the public more effectively and demonstrate our leadership in scientific collaboration on the world stage.”

The integration of these technologies marks a significant step in the evolution of the federal research fleet. NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations currently manages a fleet of 15 research and survey ships and 10 specialized environmental data-collecting aircraft, operated by a combination of civilians and NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps officers. This fleet, which ranges from large oceanographic research vessels to smaller charting ships, remains one of the largest in the nation dedicated to federal marine and atmospheric studies.

“NOAA is uniquely positioned to leverage cutting edge maritime technology to efficiently collect data in some of the ocean’s most challenging regions,” said Rear Adm. Chad M. Cary, NOAA Corps director and NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations assistant administrator. “Teaming these systems with Surveyor and Navigator achieves a major waypoint on the charted course to building the hybrid fleet of the future.”