Saildrone has announced that the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has granted full classification to the company’s Surveyor class of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs).

The announcement is another feather in Saildrone’s cap, following on from the 2024 full classification received by the Voyager, the company’s coastal and near-shore USV.

Interestingly, while other platforms have received temporary or interim approval, no other USV or UVV has received full classification apart from the Saildrone platforms.

Commenting on the latest achievement by the company, Saildrone Founder and CEO Richard Jenkins stated:

“The ABS class certification is more than a certificate — it’s a signal to governments and the maritime industry that Saildrone USVs are mature, safe, tested, and ready for scale. It’s been a very large investment and a multi-year process to achieve ABS Class Certification, but we are proud to be the first company in the world to do so and proud that our systems have reached the highest standards as required by the ABS Class certificate.”

While ABS Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Patrick Ryan added:

“ABS and Saildrone are pioneering new frontiers, setting the pace for innovation. This step forward is a result of our investments in ABS’ technical capability and helping to ensure our Rules are able to support innovation with an unwavering focus on safety.”

And ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher Wiernicki said:

“This is just the latest in a series of confidence-building actions from ABS for autonomous technologies in maritime, including the issuance of an interim class for the 10-meter Saildrone Voyager. We’re proud to collaborate with trailblazing companies like Saildrone to advance safe, innovative solutions for autonomous and remotely operated ocean missions.”