Saildrone anchors the captive data-as-a-service corner of DEPLOY's maritime category, the contrast against Saronic's defense vessel sale and Sea Machines' autonomy-vendor model. Three business models, one form factor.
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The customers are verified: NOAA, the US Navy's 4th Fleet for counter-narcotics and illegal-fishing patrol, and Denmark's EIFO, with backing including a $50 million Lockheed Martin strategic investment in October 2025.
Price
No reviewed price is on record. We do not treat unverified analyst estimates as pricing data. There is no consumer price. Saildrone runs a captive data-as-a-service model: it owns and operates its fleet and sells data and outcomes on B2B service contracts, not vessels, so DEPLOY records zero price points rather than a consumer figure.
Availability
Internal use only
Saildrone is not sold; it is operated. The fleet collects data for customers including NOAA, the US Navy's 4th Fleet (counter-narcotics and illegal-fishing patrol), and Denmark's EIFO, across 130-plus vehicles and twelve-plus years of operation.
Real-world status
Saildrone is the canonical commercial autonomous-surface-vessel company and the captive data-as-a-service archetype of the maritime category. Its line spans the 7-meter Explorer (ocean data), the 10-meter Voyager (coastal defense and mapping), and the 20-meter Surveyor (bathymetric mapping), with a 52-meter diesel-electric hybrid Spectre announced in 2026 for 2027 delivery that departs from the wind-and-solar identity. DEPLOY records it at commercial maturity, the most mature commercial surface-autonomy player. Its autonomy is genuine long-endurance ocean operation; what it does not do is sell vessels, since it sells the data its fleet collects.
Cap-flag on cumulative scale: Saildrone's mileage figures are inconsistent across its own channels. DEPLOY anchors on the October 2023 milestone of 1,042,620 nautical miles across 136 vehicles; larger 2-to-2.5-million-mile figures are claimed, not verified.
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There is no consumer price. Saildrone sells data and outcomes on B2B service contracts and does not sell vessels, so DEPLOY records zero price points.
Maritime autonomy: Saildrone vs Saronic vs Sea Machines
No⊘absence. Saildrone owns and operates its fleet and sells data and outcomes on service contracts, not vessels. There is no consumer price.
Who uses Saildrone?
NOAA, the US Navy's 4th Fleet (counter-narcotics and illegal-fishing patrol), and Denmark's EIFO🟢verified, across 130-plus vehicles.
How far have Saildrones sailed?
The defensible verified anchor is the October 2023 milestone of 1,042,620 nautical miles across 136 vehicles🟢verified. Larger 2-to-2.5-million-mile figures are claimed🟠claimed, not verified.
What vessels does Saildrone operate?
The 7-meter Explorer, 10-meter Voyager, and 20-meter Surveyor🟢verified, with a 52-meter diesel-electric hybrid Spectre announced for 2027 delivery.
How does Saildrone compare to Saronic and Sea Machines?
All three are commercial maritime autonomy, but with different business models🟢verified: Saildrone sells data (captive operator), Saronic sells defense USVs, and Sea Machines licenses autonomy onto others' hulls.
Pricing and availability are tagged verified or claimed against primary sources. Manufacturer targets are reported as targets, not prices you can pay today.