Research drones cruising the North Sea
Page date: Published 27 Mar 2023; updated 21 Sep 2026. 3 min read. The page says its original version appeared on the Institute of Marine Research site on 29 Apr 2019.
The article describes an Institute of Marine Research pilot using a wind-powered Saildrone to collect data on herring, sand lance, saithe, fish larvae and plankton in the North Sea, alongside traditional research vessel surveys. Saildrone was also testing a second drone. The drones were calibrated at Bergen, then towed out and sent along a predefined route.
The page describes the vessels as 7 by 5 metres and 750 kg, travelling at up to 8 knots using wind power, with solar-powered echo sounders and sensors. The matching echo-sounder equipment was intended to allow comparison with research vessel data without developing new analysis methods. Researchers cited advantages including quiet operation, coverage of shallow or broad areas, reduced disturbance to fish and the potential for continuous monitoring; they also mentioned combining drone data with machine learning.
The drone was described as radar-visible and programmed to give way to other vessels. The article documents a historical pilot and researchers’ expectations at that time, not current deployment status. Authors named: Marie Hauge and Erlend A. Lorentzen. For more information, the page links to marine scientist Espen Johnsen.
Related links: Maritime; Technology; Institute of Marine Research; Saildrone.