Saildrone expands into Europe with new Copenhagen headquarters

Saildrone, a manufacturer of autonomous surface vessels, has announced a major expansion into Europe, centered around a new European Union headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark. The headquarters is located at the historic Quintus Bastion in Holmen, a former Royal Danish Navy site.

The expansion includes three manufacturing contracts across Northern Europe to support regional maritime needs. The Van Der Valk Shipyard in the Netherlands will construct the first European-built 170-foot Saildrone Spectre. In Norway, Umoe Mandal will produce the next-generation 65-foot Saildrone Surveyor, while Southern Spars in Poland will manufacture the Surveyor wings.

According to Saildrone, these unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) are intended to assist European partners with maritime domain awareness, countering drug trafficking, monitoring migrant crossings, and protecting critical marine infrastructure. The company's new Copenhagen office will host technical teams responsible for deployment, operation, and maintenance of the fleet in the region.