Saildrone has registered four Voyager unmanned surface vehicles under the Danish flag, the first national flag registration for the U.S. company’s vehicles. The move follows a six-month operating period with the Danish Navy and comes as Saildrone seeks to expand its presence among European military customers.

Danish follow-on contract under development

Saildrone Denmark, the company’s European subsidiary, is working with partners in the Netherlands, Norway and Poland to increase unmanned surface vehicle production for customers across Europe. The company says it is also in discussions with several navies as demand for surface drones grows.

Kim Løye Sørensen, Saildrone’s European head of business development, said the Danish Navy and Danish government are preparing a new contract that would bring additional Saildrone vehicles into the Danish Armed Forces. She also said the company expects its systems to operate in other northern European countries in the near term.

Denmark’s position between the Baltic Sea and North Sea gives the Royal Danish Navy responsibility for monitoring and protecting maritime traffic through the Danish Straits, according to the source. The new registration provides a national framework for the four vehicles that have already completed their Danish Navy operating period.

Voyager provides persistent maritime sensing

The 33-foot Voyager is designed for coastal surveillance, nearshore mapping, maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, seafloor characterization, and real-time maritime-domain awareness, according to Saildrone’s published vehicle data. An electric motor powers the USV, which has a mapping speed of 5 knots and an advertised endurance of up to 100 days between service stops.

Sørensen described the platform as a long-duration forward sensor capable of remaining on station for more than three months while collecting and transmitting data. The company’s product range also includes the Explorer and Surveyor USVs.

Larger Spectre planned for 2027

Saildrone is developing the 170-foot Spectre as its largest and fastest USV. The company says the platform will carry kinetic payloads through a container-based configuration, accommodating either two 40-foot containers or five 20-foot containers for different payload types, including weapons.

Sørensen said construction of Spectre is planned for 2027. The vehicle would add a weapon-capable platform to a portfolio that currently includes systems focused on surveillance, mapping and maritime sensing.