SM300 / SM200

Sea Machines Robotics (Boston; founded by Michael Johnson) is the autonomy-system-vendor archetype of the maritime category: it makes the autonomy brain, not the boat. Its SM300 and SM200 autonomous-command systems are vessel-agnostic retrofit kits, about ten components installed in two days or less on existing or new-build workboats from 10 to 300 feet, so the customer owns and operates the hull while Sea Machines licenses the autonomy onto it. The September 2025 SM300-NG adds class-society-approved hardware, a 200-percent compute increase, full voyage control with collision avoidance and sensor fusion, and worldwide remote command, alongside an attritable SM300-SP defense variant. A late-2024 leadership change brought David Wasson (formerly of Huntington Ingalls) in as CEO with founder Johnson moving to president and CTO, a defense-pull hire on a $10M Series C (March 2025) and about $52M total raised. DEPLOY records it at commercial maturity on a real shipping product, class-society approval, and more than 200 systems delivered worldwide, and it credits the company with units delivered rather than sea-days, since its autonomy runs on other companies' hulls. The SM300-SP claim of more than 100 units a month is a stated production rate. As a B2B autonomy licensing business, no consumer price is published.

Readiness

SM300 / SM200 is internal use only (not for retail), no capability claims are on file, 1 verified deployment is on file, and no incidents are on record.

Availability

internal-only

Internal use only (not for retail).

see evidence →

Price honesty

no-price

No price points on file for SM300 / SM200.

see evidence →

Capability honesty

no-claims

No reviewed capability claims on file for SM300 / SM200.

see evidence →

Real-world use

commercial

Maturity: commercial. 1 verified deployment in the registry.

see evidence →

Safety record

no-incidents

No incidents on record. 1 verified deployment on file.

What it claims to do

No reviewed capability claims on file.

Price

No reviewed price points on file.

Real-world use

• California2022-08-01

Safety record

No incidents on record. 1 verified deployment on file.

Privacy

No privacy practices disclosed or on file for SM300 / SM200.

Specs

notes

• Verified: Sea Machines Robotics (Boston; founder Michael Johnson) is an autonomy-SYSTEM vendor: it sells the autonomy brain (SM300/SM200), the customer owns/operates the boat. Late-2024 leadership: David 'Chip' Wasson (ex-Huntington Ingalls) became CEO, Johnson -> President/CTO - a defense-pull hire, NOT a distress signal (record 2024 sales + defense expansion). '200+ systems delivered worldwide'. $10M Series C (Mar 2025); ~$52M total raised.
• Model + maturity (distinct): Autonomy-system SALE (B2B technology vendor), distinct from Saildrone (operator) and the vessel makers. The registry should credit it with UNITS DELIVERED (200+), NOT sea-days (its autonomy runs on others' hulls). maturity=commercial (real shipping product, class approval, 200+ deliveries); pilot-to-commercial in defense. Strongest regulatory signal of the commercial set: explicitly class-society-approved hardware.
• AI-substance: genuine (system): Edge perception, COLREGS-style collision avoidance, path-following, remote command - substantive autonomy stack, not veneer. Honest caveat: it is autonomy software/hardware on someone else's hull, so 'operational scale at sea' is not directly Sea-Machines-attributable.
• Claimed but NOT verified: Specific class society (unnamed); named commercial customers; SM300-SP '100 units/month' actual throughput (stated capability); exact funding total; specific Navy program/contract value.

specs

SM300 / SM200 autonomous-command systems: vessel-agnostic autonomy retrofit kits installed on existing/new-build workboats (10-300 ft), ~10 components, install in <=2 days. SM300-NG (Sept 2025): class-society-approved hardware, +200% compute, full voyage control, COLREGS-style collision avoidance, ENC/radar/AIS/video fusion, worldwide remote command. SM300-SP: attritable/volume-production defense variant (claimed >100 units/month). Founded by Michael Johnson; Boston.

formFactor

maritime (autonomous-command SYSTEM retrofit for surface vessels; vessel-agnostic, not a vessel)

What's under the hood

No brain on file for SM300 / SM200.

Frequently asked questions

Is the SM300 / SM200 actually available for purchase?

Not available to consumers. In internal use by Sea Machines Robotics.Source: Sea Machines: Wasson CEO (ex-HII), Johnson -> President/CTO (late 2024; defense-pull, not distress)

What does the SM300 / SM200 cost?

Not announced.

Where is the SM300 / SM200 being used?

SM300 / SM200 is in use at: California (2022-08-01).Source: Sea Machines' SM300 System Onboard Foss Tug Earns ABS Approval

Is the SM300 / SM200 safe?

No incidents on record across 1 verified deployment.

How does the SM300 / SM200 handle privacy?

No privacy practices disclosed or on file for SM300 / SM200.

Who makes the SM300 / SM200?

SM300 / SM200 is made by Sea Machines Robotics, based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.Source: Sea Machines: Wasson CEO (ex-HII), Johnson -> President/CTO (late 2024; defense-pull, not distress)

Video

Compare side by side

• SM300 / SM200 vs Saronic USV (Corsair / Mirage / Marauder)by Saronic Technologies · maritime_surface
• SM300 / SM200 vs Saildrone USV (Explorer / Voyager / Surveyor)by Saildrone · maritime_surface
• SM300 / SM200 vs DriXby Exail · maritime_surface

Sources

1. Sea Machines: Wasson CEO (ex-HII), Johnson -> President/CTO (late 2024; defense-pull, not distress) · https://www.workboat.com/coastal-inland-waterways/sea-machines-names-new-ceo ↗
2. Sea Machines SM300-NG (class-society-approved; +200% compute; full voyage control) + SM300-SP defense · https://sea-machines.com/news/sea-machines-sm300-ng-launch/ ↗
3. Sea Machines SM300/SM200 autonomous-command systems (vessel-agnostic retrofit; 200+ delivered) · https://sea-machines.com/products/ ↗
4. Sea Machines' SM300 System Onboard Foss Tug Earns ABS Approval · https://sea-machines.com/sea-machines-sm300-system-onboard-foss-tug-earns-abs-approval/ ↗ · 2022-08-01
5. SM300 Autonomous Vessel Control | Sea Machines Robotics · https://sea-machines.com/sm300/ ↗