Coast Guard Deploys Surveillance Sail Drones On Lake Superior
There will now be autonomous sailboats patrolling the Great Lakes, including Lake Superior. The US Coast Guard has purchased Sail Drones and deployed them on the Great Lakes for safety and surveillance purposes. Is this a step too far for Big Brother watching over us, or is this a useful tool to protect our borders?
First Drones Launched on the Great Lakes
The first drones were launched on Lake Erie on April 27th. The drones are solar and wind-powered and are large: 33 feet long, with a 19-foot orange sail. The drones have radar, cameras, and can track transponders.
The drones are primarily powered by a solar-powered motor and use the sail as auxiliary propulsion.
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The drones will be used to monitor shipping traffic, weather conditions, and even help in emergency situations. The drones are monitored 24/7 by crews on shore, and can be manually piloted if need be.
Useful Tool In Border Security
The drones will also be used to track activity on the Canadian Border waters. While most people think of smuggling and illegal drug movements happening off the Florida Coast, there is trafficking that occurs on the Great Lakes. The drones will be used to capture images and data of suspicious vessels, and that will be relayed to authorities.
Saildrone is a company based in California. They've been developing and testing the drones for the last several years. The drones should be able to handle what Lake Superior throws at them, as they have sailed successfully in hurricanes and tropical storms.
Saildrone's slogan appears to be 'Detect. Deter. Dominate.'
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