Saildrone Receives ISO 9001 Certification for Quality Management

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has enabled trade and cooperation between people and companies since 1946. Covering almost all aspects of technology, management, and manufacturing, the organization has published over 25,000 international standards with the goal of making lives easier, safer, and better.  The ISO-9001 certification is a globally recognized standard based on several quality management principles, including having a strong customer focus, involvement of high-level company management, and an outlined process-based approach.

Saildrone is proud to announce that the company has received ISO 9001 certification. Assessed by Eagle Registrations Inc., an ANAB accredited body, the implementation means that Saildrone has put in place effective processes and trained staff to repeatedly deliver high-quality products and services to the best of our ability.

Being the most widely used quality management standard, the certification is beneficial for customer confidence, effective complaint resolution and continuous improvement. The ISO 9001:2015 certification process involved a rigorous evaluation of Saildrone's quality management system, including comprehensive audits of processes, documentation, and overall operational efficiency.

“Achieving ISO 9001 certification is a testament to Saildrone's commitment to quality and innovation, reflecting our ability to deliver comprehensive ocean data solutions. By committing to quality and strengthening our capabilities, we’re better positioned to support customer needs through our cutting-edge technology, high endurance & reliability, ensuring safe and efficient operations worldwide,” said Mark Cuyler, Saildrone COO.

Saildrone adds this international recommendation to its existing credentials in meeting rigorous compliance standards. In 2023, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) issued Approval in Principle (AIP) certificates to Saildrone, including the first AIP for a commercial uncrewed surface vehicle (USV), the Saildrone Voyager. AIP is a formal review process that evaluates the design concept of a new technology, product, or system against ABS rules and applicable regulations as an important first step to full classification.

The Voyager then went on to earn the first-ever interim classification, allowing the vehicle to operate in the ports and waters of countries that require vessels to be classed by organizations such as ABS, and demonstrates Saildrone’s commitment to safety, standardization, and reliability in its technology and operations.

Saildrone Surveyor-class vehicles are built to ABS Light Warship code. At 20 meters long (65 feet) and weighing 15 tons, the Surveyor carries the latest multibeam sonar equipment for seafloor mapping to depths of 11,000 meters (36,000 feet) and purpose-built defense and security payloads for accurate, dynamic, and confident decisions and responses to the full spectrum of maritime threats and challenges.

Working with Rightship and using the guidance established by the World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD) for quantifying avoided emissions, Saildrone issued our first annual carbon emissions report last year. The report showed that in 2022, Saildrone avoided 99.9% of comparable ocean data collection emissions and 143% of its own total Scope 1 – 3 carbon emissions, a number that is expected to go up as operations expand.

Saildrone is committed to achieving the highest standards of excellence across all of our operations. From product design to environmental impact to quality management, the company is dedicated to enhancing its support of the nation’s maritime interests.