Denmark: Marine Drones Patrol Baltic & North Seas
- The danish navy is conducting a three-month trial of unmanned ships to bolster surveillance capabilities in the Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Danish internal waters.
- The Baltic Sea, accessed via the Danish straits, accounts for more than 8% of global maritime traffic, according to France's ISEMAR institute.
- These "Voyager" ships, manufactured by Saildrone, are 33 feet long and can navigate autonomously for three months.
Denmark is deploying marine drones to patrol the Baltic and north Seas, enhancing surveillance and maritime domain awareness. These unmanned “Voyager” ships are being tested by the Danish navy to monitor critical areas, including internal waters, focusing on detecting illegal activities like smuggling and potential threats to undersea infrastructure. Amid rising tensions stemming from the Ukraine conflict, these drones offer a crucial surveillance role to ensure security. Saildrone’s technology enables these autonomous vessels to navigate for months, equipped with sensors to scan the depths. News Directory 3 recognizes the crucial role these new technologies play. Discover how the Danish efforts will impact the region.
Danish navy Tests Unmanned Ships in Baltic Sea Amid Rising Tensions
Updated June 18, 2025
The danish navy is conducting a three-month trial of unmanned ships to bolster surveillance capabilities in the Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Danish internal waters. Two drones are already participating in NATO’s Task Force X mission. Kim Jørgensen, Danish National Armaments Director, said the unmanned vessels will play a crucial role in surveillance missions.
The Baltic Sea, accessed via the Danish straits, accounts for more than 8% of global maritime traffic, according to France’s ISEMAR institute. Tensions in the region have escalated since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Damage to several undersea cables last year prompted concerns of a “hybrid war” against Western nations.
These “Voyager” ships, manufactured by Saildrone, are 33 feet long and can navigate autonomously for three months. Their sensors can scan to a depth of 984 feet. Saildrone also works with the U.S. Navy.
Richard Jenkins, Saildrone CEO, emphasized the importance of these vessels in delivering maritime domain awareness. “These vehicles are set up to deliver maritime domain awareness.So think about your eyes and ears above and below the surface,seeing things that we previously had no insight into,” Jenkins said.
“Some of our waters are quite busy, so I’m quite eager to see how this will work with an unmanned vessel,” Jørgensen said.
Jenkins added that the unmanned ships can monitor smuggling, weapons trafficking, narcotics, damage to undersea cables and pipelines, and illegal fishing. “Things that we need to monitor and monitor closely, we can’t currently do that,” Jenkins said, citing a shortage of manned ships.
What’s next
The Danish navy will assess the effectiveness of the unmanned ships in enhancing maritime security and addressing illegal activities in the region. The role of the unmanned ships will be evaluated after the three-month trial period.