Wave gliders and autonomous ships

[Hippocampus]

Apparently there’s a new hazard on passage. Both small wave gliders and autonomous ships.
The wave gliders are mostly being used to collect data for science. Around the size of a big surfboard and slow moving at a ~1 to 2 kts. Hard to see visually and without AIS but may show up as a target on radar if your settings are right. Sufficiently stout to damage a hull.
The ships stay in the traditional lanes but don’t expect them to change course although they say they do have collision avoidance software. Still they’re big enough and reaction time slow enough that a 5-7nm avoidance zone at a minimum seems wise.
Your thoughts?

 

[Northern Spy]

First of all, I think the ocean is big. Really, really big.

And being that drones and surfers themselves are expensive, and possibly carrying expensive scientific or espionage equipment (or data), or maybe even illicit drugs, it would be in their best intentions to avoid you.

I would imagine that even "autonomous" ones may have some rerouting or alarm system associated with it.

Hitting one would be more problematic for the drone than the boat; akin to bicycle vs. car collisions.

 

[Benthic2]

I think if the technology is advanced enough that cars can be driven "hands-free" on a highway at 60mph and pass within 10 feet of other cars.....Ships on the open ocean at 25 mph can operate safely. I wonder if we could get to the point where a harbor pilot can do his thing remotely ?

 

[Hippocampus]

Noonsite feels differently about it and there’s been “notice to navigators”. Just saying....

Have seen some weird stuff on passage including a car with the white plastic still on its roof and hood. Sure that would be a bigger bang as would a container but the wave runner could take out running gear, a prop, keel cooler, fin or fish.. Think that’s probably a more concerning thing that the ships. Know enough to be hyper alert when in shipping channels.