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The US Coast Guard has awarded Saildrone an $8.5 million contract extension to continue providing maritime domain awareness around domestic fisheries off the coast of New England through spring 2027.
The extension expands on operations conducted by Saildrone Voyager unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) across the Northeast United States. Between June and August, the deployed fleet sailed more than 19,000 nautical miles and generated thousands of contact detections while monitoring regional fishing grounds.
The Saildrone Voyager is a 10-meter (33-foot) USV purpose-built to deliver persistent surface and subsurface maritime domain awareness for navies and law enforcement agencies. By combining radar, Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, and onboard cameras, the platforms detect and track vessels while delivering visual details of maritime activity. High-accuracy onboard navigation and radar systems supply precise position data, which is transmitted in near-real time directly to shore-based command centers to assist operators in overseeing areas of responsibility and directing the deployment of manned assets.
US Coast Guard (ret.) Capt. Charley Diaz, senior director for homeland security at Saildrone, said, “Operating in the North Atlantic presents unique and significant challenges for any platform. Saildrone USVs are designed to provide persistent monitoring that can complement Coast Guard assets and crews when conditions and mission requirements allow.”
Persistent domain awareness tools serve as part of a wider effort to deter illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing while supporting regulatory compliance across regional waters. According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, domestic fisheries in New England support more than 289,000 jobs and generate over $24 billion in annual sales impacts across the commercial and recreational seafood supply chain.
