Latest news with #Seasats
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Newsweek
Photos Show US Sea Drone's Encounter With Chinese Aircraft Carrier Group
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A United States autonomous surface vessel encountered a Chinese aircraft carrier group in June during its transit from California to Japan, the drone's operator told Newsweek. The unmanned vessel known as Lightfish traveled more than 7,500 miles across the Pacific Ocean over 150 days, the San Diego-based company Seasats announced on July 30. The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Why It Matters The value of unmanned systems in modern warfare has been demonstrated since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, during which Ukrainian forces have deployed maritime drones in the Black Sea against Russian targets, pushing Russia's fleet farther from Ukraine. Recognizing the importance of drone warfare and the gap with major adversaries Russia and China in this field, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered an overhaul of the military's drone strategy, including accelerated modernization and expanded production. Earlier this month, the U.S. Marine Corps announced that the deployment of an unmanned logistics vessel in Japan will be extended indefinitely to counter China's military buildup. What To Know The "unexpected encounter" between the Lightfish and the Chinese navy was first reported by news outlet Breaking Defense on Wednesday, citing Seasats chief executive Mike Flanigan. The incident took place in the Philippine Sea, approximately 330 miles northwest of Guam. Seasats' Lightfish autonomous surface vessel sails near the Chinese destroyer CNS Nanchang, left, while transiting the Philippine Sea near Guam. Seasats' Lightfish autonomous surface vessel sails near the Chinese destroyer CNS Nanchang, left, while transiting the Philippine Sea near Guam. Seasats In a set of photos provided by Seasats to Newsweek on Thursday, the American sea drone photographed a Chinese warship with the hull number "101," identifying it as China's first Type 055 destroyer, CNS Nanchang, regarded as the country's "premier surface combatant." Seasats told Newsweek that the Chinese destroyer was part of a naval group led at the time by the country's aircraft carrier, CNS Liaoning. According to a Newsweek map, the Liaoning carrier strike group was deployed in the Philippine Sea from late May to mid-June. The Japanese Defense Ministry also confirmed the Nanchang's presence in the Philippine Sea, tracking and reporting the warship's movements between late May and early June. Flanigan told Breaking Defense that the Chinese destroyer shadowed the sea drone "very closely" for 20 minutes. The Lightfish, a 12-foot-long, 350-pound solar-powered vessel, departed from San Diego to mainland Japan via Hawaii and the Japanese island of Okinawa. While a publicly accessible tracking page was available throughout the Lightfish's voyage, Seasats told Newsweek that it removed the data from the page at the time of the encounter and provided a report to the U.S. Navy, which distributed it within government circles. Seasats' Lightfish autonomous surface vessel sails near the Chinese destroyer CNS Nanchang, right, while transiting in the Philippine Sea near Guam. Seasats' Lightfish autonomous surface vessel sails near the Chinese destroyer CNS Nanchang, right, while transiting in the Philippine Sea near Guam. Seasats "The ability to capture high resolution imagery of potential adversaries, and in real time transmit accurate location data back to shore, is key for the U.S. Navy in the Pacific," it said. "Doing that with a commercial [unmanned surface vessel] as compared to a traditional satellite or ship offers huge improvements in persistence, accuracy, cost, and scalability." What People Are Saying Seasats told Newsweek: "This encounter is also relevant given the recent budget allocation of billions of dollars to [unmanned surface vessels]. This speaks to the increasing presence of drones at sea and how they are shifting the balance of traditional naval power." Seasats chief executive Mike Flanigan told Breaking Defense: "Look at what just happened with us in the middle of the Pacific. We have a $250,000 [unmanned surface vessel] coming within meters of a $900 million Chinese destroyer with close to 100 sailors on risk posture is just insanely skewed with these autonomous robots." What Happens Next It remains to be seen how the U.S. military will expand the use of unmanned combat systems—whether in the air, on the ground, or at sea—in the Indo-Pacific amid China's threat.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Seasats Introduces the Lightfish Security System: A Cost-Effective, Modular ASV for Persistent Maritime Domain Awareness
SAN DIEGO, May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Seasats, a U.S.-based developer of autonomous maritime systems, is pleased to announce the release of the Lightfish Security System, a turnkey autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) designed to support persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions in littoral, harbor, and open-ocean environments. The platform addresses critical operational needs in maritime domain awareness (MDA), port and coastal security, and remote infrastructure monitoring — whether tracking illegal fishing activity, trafficking operations, or other emerging threats. The Lightfish Security System is engineered for multi-month endurance and rapid field deployment. Leveraging a low-profile, solar-powered hull with an onboard generator and lithium-ion battery system, the vessel can operate for many months continuously, tracking vessels many miles away without being seen itself. The system is non-ITAR, export-friendly, and designed for launch and recovery by one or two personnel via beach, ramp, or pier. Those features have driven early adoption and multiple Security Lightfish are now deployed through both vehicle sales and a Robotics-as-a-Service offering. "There's a level of practicality that robotic platforms must have for maritime security," said Tom Reynolds, Chief Strategy Officer at Seasats. "If they're over-engineered, cost too much or have limited endurance, they may perform well in a demo, but that doesn't always translate to mission success." Seasats CEO Mike Flanigan added "One of the unique things about the Lightfish in today's maritime autonomy market is its track record of successful long-duration autonomous missions. Thanks to its small size and well-engineered safety systems, the Lightfish has been approved to operate in high-traffic or remote areas in several countries, which differentiates us from many competitors." Seasats' Lightfish series has been successfully deployed in exercises with the U.S. Navy, NOAA, and leading research institutions. The Security System represents a significant advancement in tactical ASV design, offering commercial and government stakeholders a low-cost, high-endurance solution for challenging maritime operations. Core Capabilities: Multi-modal communications: Starlink, Iridium, cellular, MANET radio Redundant sensor package: Marine radar, HD and thermal cameras, AIS broadcast/receive, LiDAR Open systems architecture for integration with third-party C2 platforms Browser-based UI operable via secure tablet, laptop, or mobile device Launch/recovery in <10 minutes with man-portable components and no shipboard crane or davit required Technical Specifications: Length: 11.4 feet Endurance: Multi-month Range: >6,000 nautical miles Cruise speed: 2.0 knots (max 4.5 knots) Power: 415W nominal solar + 100W generator Battery: 4.0 kWh lithium-ion Operational sea state: Up to Sea State 6 Additional payload support: Underwater acoustics and broadband VHF monitoring and analysis Learn more about the Lightfish Security System at To request a technical briefing or schedule a live demonstration, please contact info@ or visit To track a Lightfish on its voyage from San Diego to Japan, visit the live tracker at About Seasats Seasats is a U.S.-based developer of autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) designed for long-duration maritime operations in defense, science, and commercial sectors. The company's flagship Lightfish series combines multi-month endurance, advanced sensor integration, and modular payloads in a compact, cost-effective form factor. Backed by L3Harris and Shield Capital, Seasats systems have been deployed globally by leading naval, research, and security organizations to extend maritime domain awareness with minimal logistics and maximum flexibility. Learn more at Media Contact:Kelsey McGrewHead of Marketing & Communicationskelsey@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Seasats
Axios
08-02-2025
- Business
- Axios
Exclusive: Seasats secures $10 million amid unmanned tech boom
Drone-boat maker Seasats plans to hire more people and expand its overseas sales on the heels of a $10 million funding round. Why it matters: From monitoring U.S. borders to mapping oil spills to sinking Russian ships in the Black Sea, demand for autonomous vessels is soaring. Follow the money: The round was led by Silicon Valley's Shield Capital, specializing in dual-use tech. Aero X Ventures, Techstars, and other investors participated. L3Harris Technologies previously invested in the San Diego-based company. Seasats started as a commercial company. But its defense business is ramping up as militaries are increasingly interested in ready-to-go gear, not sluggish research and development. The latest: A Seasats Lightfish vessel — solar-powered, 11 feet long and weighing about 350 pounds — is making its way to Japan right now. You can track its progress (video feed included) on the company's website. A California-to-Hawaii voyage was completed last year. Fun fact: Small drones launched off Seasats' boats during testing in San Diego Bay. The bottom line: "This stuff is reliable — it works," Seasats CEO Mike Flanigan told Axios on the sidelines of the WEST naval conference. "Buy it. Use it."
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Seasats raises funding to expand autonomous maritime solutions
Autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) developer Seasats has announced the closure of a $10m funding round led by Shield Capital, with contributions from Aero X Ventures, Techstars, and other investors. This investment will accelerate the global deployment of Seasats' maritime autonomy solutions, including the Lightfish, an 11ft solar-powered ASV launched in 2023. The Lightfish is designed for operation with minimal training and can undertake complex missions that last several months. Furthermore, it is currently employed in various applications such as subsea mapping, oil spill monitoring, and border protection. Shield Capital managing partner Philip Bilden said: 'Shield is proud to partner with the accomplished team at Seasats as they continue to innovate and redefine the maritime landscape. 'Seasats is well-positioned to capitalise on the massive opportunities of autonomous surface vehicles to address global security challenges by the US military, allies, and commercial customers.' The Lightfish is gaining recognition for its speed, reliability and cost-effectiveness in both defence and commercial markets, according to the company. It recently completed a more than 7,000-mile journey from San Diego to Japan. Seasats CEO Mike Flanigan said: 'We're redefining the future of the maritime world, and having top-tier partners onboard has been essential to scaling our impact. 'Industry leaders like L3Harris Technologies and Techstars have helped us tremendously, and this new partnership with Shield marks another major milestone for us.' In June 2024, L3Harris Technologies and Seasats successfully tested an ASV in the Pacific Ocean. The surfboard-sized ASV travelled 2,500 miles from San Diego, California, to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, completing a ten-week journey. The test demonstrated the ASV's reliability and ability to operate continuously in challenging conditions, according to L3Harris. "Seasats raises funding to expand autonomous maritime solutions" was originally created and published by Ship Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
