MANITOWOC – The U.S. Coast Guard’s Great Lakes District plans to deploy wind- and solar-powered autonomous sail drones on the Great Lakes this summer to support missions and improve maritime domain awareness.
The deployment is scheduled to run from May through October 2026, the district said in a news release May 4.
Deployment planned May through October
The sail drones will operate on the Great Lakes during the 2026 summer season, leveraging a Coast Guard-awarded contract aimed at strengthening maritime domain awareness.
Supporting Coast Guard missions on the Great Lakes
According to the district, the autonomous vessels will help monitor activity on the Great Lakes, gather weather data that can support emergency response planning, and assist efforts to track illicit activity and protect maritime borders.
Visible vessels with radar and cameras
The drones are described as highly visible and equipped with radar, cameras and collision-avoidance artificial intelligence.
Monitored 24/7 with human oversight
The vessels will be monitored around the clock by human operators, who can take manual control if needed, the district said.
Sensors focused on maritime domain awareness
The sail drones carry sensors intended to provide information about vessel activity, including vessels in distress or suspected of conducting illegal operations. The district said the sensor suite is strictly focused on maritime domain awareness.
Augmenting crews already on the water
The Coast Guard said the autonomous systems are intended to supplement, not replace, the work of Coast Guard crews operating on the Great Lakes.
Contact Brandon Reid at breid@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Coast Guard to deploy autonomous sail drones on Great Lakes
Reporting by Brandon Reid, Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter / Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter
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