https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/02/28/sailing-without-a-crew-saildrone-aiming-to-replace-manned-ships-on-mapping-expeditions/

A remotely controlled sailboat that maps the ocean floor, collecting DNA samples and transmitting real-time data to scientists sounds like the stuff of science fiction. But it’s real and it’s actually pretty close to home.

Last month, Saildrone — an Alameda-based company that designs and builds unmanned surface vehicles — launched their first 72-foot vessel called the Saildrone Surveyor into the San Francisco Bay. Meant to replace the large ships that historically have been used for ocean mapping expeditions, the Surveyor is equipped with advanced sonar equipment that will allow it to map the ocean down to 7,000 meters (over 4 miles) beneath the surface and is expected to operate remotely on missions of 6 to 12 months.