Sailboat Drone

Davidasailor26 · Oct 2, 2021

I like it. Very good use of technology to gather data that can be used to improve forecast accuracy without putting anyone in harm’s way.

HeatherE · Oct 3, 2021

SandCat said:
You may have seen in the news where NOAA sailed drones into Hurricane Sam this week. Pretty cool tech. Maybe the world is starting to appreciate the simplicity and efficiency of sailing again!

Wind & Solar Powered Autonomous Vehicles – Saildrone

Saildrone’s global fleet of autonomous vehicles provides cost-effective solutions for in situ data collection in the most remote regions of the ocean and in the harshest conditions.

www.saildrone.com

Super cool, thanks for sharing. I didn't see this in the news...

Daveinet · Oct 3, 2021

While neat, how long before it gets stolen? You drop an unmanned boat out into the ocean, and someone is bound to come along side and steal it for the solar panels and tech. You have no way of guarding it.

DArcy · Oct 3, 2021

Very cool they sent some of them into a hurricane and they were actually able to send data and video out. I didn't realize how big those things get. Imagine coming across a 72 foot unmanned boat in the middle of the ocean.

Leeward Rail · Oct 25, 2021

Daveinet said:
You have no way of guarding it

AI controller chain guns might work

Pirate Dave · Oct 26, 2021

You drop an unmanned boat out into the ocean, and someone is bound to come along side and steal it for the solar panels and tech. You have no way of guarding it.

Dave

I think it has two gatling guns on it and is now self aware like the Skynet system in Terminator. Just make sure if you see it you follow the COLREGS regarding vessels meeting or .................................................

Project_Mayhem · Oct 26, 2021

SandCat said:
You may have seen in the news where NOAA sailed drones into Hurricane Sam this week. Pretty cool tech. Maybe the world is starting to appreciate the simplicity and efficiency of sailing again!

Wind & Solar Powered Autonomous Vehicles – Saildrone

Saildrone’s global fleet of autonomous vehicles provides cost-effective solutions for in situ data collection in the most remote regions of the ocean and in the harshest conditions.

www.saildrone.com

This is pretty cool. Thanks for sharing!

Daveinet said:
While neat, how long before it gets stolen? You drop an unmanned boat out into the ocean, and someone is bound to come along side and steal it for the solar panels and tech. You have no way of guarding it.

This was happening to expensive weather bouys

DArcy said:
Very cool they sent some of them into a hurricane and they were actually able to send data and video out. I didn't realize how big those things get. Imagine coming across a 72 foot unmanned boat in the middle of the ocean.

Free boat with a captain? Hell yeah! Oh wait, it's going straight for a hurricane!

jssailem · Oct 26, 2021

Dave.
They do have gadgets on board that some may consider valuable.

Not all sailors are pirates seeking plunder.

Daveinet · Oct 26, 2021

jssailem said:
Not all sailors are pirates seeking plunder.

SO now we divert this discussion into if its appropriate to fly a pirate flag on your boat

But to specifically answer your comment, only a stink boater would do that.

Will Gilmore · Oct 26, 2021

Daveinet said:
SO now we divert this discussion into if its appropriate to fly a pirate flag on your boat
But to specifically answer your comment, only a stink boater would do that.

And all he'd see is it's a sailboat, "Nutin' I'd want there."

-Will

Will Gilmore · Oct 26, 2021

jssailem said:
Not all sailors are pirates seeking plunder.

But all of them have dreams of being one.

-Will

Leeward Rail · Oct 27, 2021

An opensourced DIY chaingun with some python coding, all run on a raspberrypi would be easily doable:

Daveinet said:
only a stink boater would do that.

All easily solved in some code...

A simple test for pirate flag could be done... but considering stickpots would be suspect by default, you could simply do something like:

if vessel (sys.argv) != sailboat or colregtest (sys.argv) = fail:
mode = 'chaingunwarning'
else

if vessel (sys.argv) = pwc:

mode = 'chaingunterminate'

else

mode= 'clearedtoproceed'

That would teach sailboats to follow colregs, stinkpots to be chased off, and PWC to be dealt with effectively.

Code could be easily customized for various needs, including for quiet anchorages by adding sound level sensors.

Just think... a boat that sails itself and chases off interlopers.
If it gliches, then you could end up with a nice empty anchorage.
Maybe we can start a GoFundme and get this going ? Hopefully beta test by spring.

P.S. Apologies to people who actually know how to code.

Leeward Rail · Oct 27, 2021

@jssailem has informed me that a Phalanx system, accidentally fired on the USS Missouri during the Gulf War, while in automatic mode.

While there is a strong chance it was intentionally done by a commendable British patriot sailor to teach the traitorous colonists a lesson, it shows the risks of using AI to control weapons.

I wonder if by using software, running on the windows platform instead, you would have plausible deniability, to deflect any blame for "glitches" ?

Based on my experience, it likely doesn't matter if it works 100% as long as legally your donkey is covered