Coast Guard Great Lakes District Set to Use Autonomous Sail Drones

May 5, 2026 | By Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Lauofo, USCG Great Lakes |

Leveraging a contract awarded by the Coast Guard to enhance maritime domain awareness, the Great Lakes District will deploy autonomous drones to support Coast Guard missions on the Great Lakes from May to October.

The drones are wind- and solar-powered vessels the Coast Guard will use to monitor the Great Lakes, gather critical weather data for emergency response planning, track illicit activity and keep maritime borders safe.

The autonomous vessels are highly visible, equipped with radar, cameras and collision-avoidance artificial intelligence and monitored continuously by human operators who can take manual control if needed.

Sail drones are equipped with sensors focused solely on maritime domain awareness, providing critical information on vessel activities, including vessels in distress or engaged in illegal operations.

In short, these autonomous systems augment the essential needs of qualified Coast Guard crews operating on the Great Lakes.