On May 5, 2026 the U.S. Coast Guard announced that the Great Lakes District will deploy autonomous sail drones from May through October to enhance maritime domain awareness on the Great Lakes. The wind‑and solar‑powered vessels are equipped with radar, cameras and collision‑avoidance artificial intelligence and are continuously monitored by human operators who can take manual control if needed. They will collect weather data for emergency‑response planning, track illicit activity, and help keep maritime borders safe. The drones focus on detecting vessels in distress or engaged in illegal operations. This deployment is intended to augment the essential needs of Coast Guard crews operating in the Great Lakes region.
© U.S. Government.
Summary adapted from https://war.gov
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