Danmark launches sea surface drone
Denmark has launched a groundbreaking maritime surveillance initiative using four autonomous Saildrone Voyager surface vehicles in the Baltic and North Seas. These 10-meter-long, wind- and solar-powered robotic sailboats are equipped with advanced sensors, including radar, cameras, sonar, and underwater acoustic systems. Operated in partnership with the U.S.-based company Saildrone, the trial aims to strengthen maritime domain awareness amid rising security threats such as undersea infrastructure sabotage and increased Russian naval activity. The Voyagers offer persistent, cost-effective monitoring, capable of operating for months without human intervention. This deployment supports NATO’s broader strategy to create a layered surveillance network—combining unmanned vessels, seabed sensors, satellites, and naval patrols—to protect critical infrastructure like pipelines and fiber-optic cables. Described by Saildrone’s CEO as “sensors on a truck,” the Voyagers represent a scalable and innovative approach to modern maritime defense.
I was wondering if these drones are equipped with AIS transmitters for maritime safety, which would make them trackable—and therefore easier for adversaries to avoid.
Tracking via AIS
In the Saildrone news article (see source), I came across these two images featuring the Saildrone in the background:
Both drones display a white number on their wing and hull.
With this infomation and the mentioned departure time (6th June) from Kage port i was able to find two vessels on marinetraffic.com (see ship details)
I also found a video capturing the departure: Arirang News
At the end it shows another vessel named 2032, which also can be found on marinetraffic.com