The US Navy used a swarm of drone boats to seize $81 million worth of cocaine in the Caribbean
- Voyager drone boats tracked smugglers before US Navy forces intercepted the shipment
- Autonomous vessels helped seize cocaine worth more than $81 million offshore
- Electric-powered drone boats can patrol continuously for more than 100 days
Unmanned surface vessels have helped the US Navy intercept a cocaine shipment worth more than $81 million in the Caribbean Sea.
Two Voyager drone boats, built by California-based Saildrone, tracked a vessel of interest before coordinating directly with naval forces stationed nearby.
This coordination allowed a Navy ship to move in, intercept the suspect craft, and seize its illegal cargo without delay.
Built for extended maritime patrols
The Voyager measures over 10 meters (33 feet) in length and runs on an electric motor rather than conventional fuel.
It can operate continuously for more than 100 days before returning to port for maintenance work.
Saildrone describes the vessel as a high-capacity platform supporting advanced sensor integration across...
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