The US Navy used a swarm of drone boats to seize $81 million worth of cocaine in the Caribbean
Two Saildrone Voyager vessels tracked suspected drug traffickers, enabling the US Navy to seize cocaine worth more than $81 million.
Offshore from the Caribbean Sea, a fleet of unmanned surface vessels known as Voyager drone boats successfully seized nearly $81 million worth of cocaine, according to naval reports. These autonomous electric-powered boats, manufactured by California-based Saildrone, tracked a suspicious vessel before naval forces intervened to intercept and seize the illegal cargo.
The Voyager, measuring over 33 feet in length, can operate continuously for more than 100 days, making it an ideal platform for extended maritime surveillance. Saildrone, the company behind the drones, emphasizes the strategic value of these unmanned vessels in maintaining a persistent presence in critical regions for months at a time, serving as a deterrent to illegal activities.
The US Navy had previously contracted Saildrone to expand the Voyager's operations across the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific regions, with a specific focus on combating drug trafficking and other illicit activities. While the effectiveness of autonomous drone boats in high-risk interdiction work remains to be seen, the technology offers a safer alternative for naval personnel, reducing the need for crewed vessels to engage in potentially dangerous operations.
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