Photo credited to Navy Chief Petty Officer Roland Franklin
A new type of drone could be seen on the Great Lakes soon.
The U.S. Department of War has awarded a contract to the U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes District to deploy autonomous drones for supporting missions from May to October.
The drones are uncrewed surface vehicles with primary hybrid-electric propulsion but can be assisted by wind and solar power.
The autonomous vessels are also highly visible, equipped with radar, cameras, and collision-avoidance artificial intelligence, and monitored by humans who can take manual control if needed.
The U.S. Coast Guard also notes that the drones are focused on maritime domain awareness, providing information on critical activities, including vessels in distress or conducting operations.
More information about the drones can be found at war.gov.
