What Happened
Norwegian Shipbuilder to Produce Vessels for Autonomous Maritime Systems
Saildrone has partnered with Norwegian shipbuilder Umoe Mandal to produce unmanned surface vessels, with the Norwegian company building the vessel for Saildrone’s 20-meter-long Surveyor USV. The partnership aims to provide persistent maritime domain awareness in strategically important waters, including the Baltic and North Seas, as well as Arctic waters. Saildrone’s European managing director, Robert Kleist, highlighted the importance of sovereign control over operations and data. The agreement is part of Saildrone’s expansion into Europe, with the company recently opening a new headquarters in Copenhagen and signing an agreement with Polish company Southern Spars. This development was first reported by Breaking Defense.