Affordable Innovation
Silicon Sailor is the world’s most cost-effective deep-ocean Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV), priced at less than one-tenth the cost of its nearest competitor. Engineered for endurance, it can operate non-stop for up to six months, even in low-solar conditions, ensuring unparalleled reliability. Additionally, it boasts seamless control via satellite communications, setting a new standard in affordable and efficient oceanic exploration.
Reliability is achieved through several proprietary systems embracing the engineering philosophy of keeping it simple. The rudder has been eliminated with our patent-pending system of maintaining passive directional control by changing the angle of the rigid wing sail. By eliminating the most vulnerable part of sailing USVs (the rudder) reliability is increased, and power consumption is significantly decreased. The sail revolves around a stationary mast using a magnetic coupling. By having the mast stationary, rather than an integrated part of the wing sail, it provides a stationary mount for our raised sensor platform.
Silicon sailor is only 105 cm long and weighs 14 kg. While this may seem small, the vessel can endure hurricane conditions and its modest size offers many advantages. Crucially, its dimensions classify it as a steerable buoy (legally recognized as flotsam), allowing it to navigate around the extensive bureaucratic challenges that often impede deployment of larger Uncrewed Surface Vessels. This size advantage significantly simplifies transportation, launching, storage, and shipping, making operations more much efficient and economical. The comparison is akin to the difference between a desktop computer and a smartphone: while a phone may not match a desktop in every capability, the convenience is gold.
In a world where the vast expanse of our oceans remains the least explored and understood, the barriers of accessibility and the prohibitive costs of oceanic research have long stood as formidable obstacles. The key to unlocking the mysteries of these blue frontiers lies in the development of affordable, reliable sensor platforms, capable of weaving a comprehensive network—an Internet of Things (IOT) for the ocean. It is with this vision that the Silicon Sailor was conceived. Crafted to democratize ocean exploration, the Silicon Sailor paves the way for an era of enhanced understanding and stewardship of the marine environment.