Saildrone Maps Cayman Islands EEZ

Saildrone has mapped the seafloor in the Cayman Islands Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to support the nation's efforts in fisheries management, offshore energy planning, resource exploration, strengthening maritime security, and protecting fragile habitats.

When the Saildrone Surveyor SD-3001 arrived in the Cayman Islands in 2024, the objective was unprecedented: conduct a complete deepwater multibeam survey of a nation’s exclusive economic zone using an uncrewed, autonomous platform—and deliver the first complete EEZ map of any Caribbean country.

Over the course of approximately 300 mission days, Saildrone surveyed approximately 90,000 square kilometers of seabed.

Traditional vessel-based mapping is prohibitively expensive for many Caribbean island nations, says Saildrone. Generous philanthropic funding from the London & Amsterdam Trust Company Limited, a Cayman-based organization that wants to leave a lasting legacy to the Cayman Islands, combined with the endurance and efficiency of the Saildrone Surveyor unmanned surface vehicle (USV), created a unique pathway for the country to leapfrog decades of incremental data collection and establish a complete, modern baseline of its marine environment.

The effort offers valuable lessons for future autonomous mapping campaigns—especially for developing Caribbean states seeking cost-effective ways to chart their waters and manage their maritime resources.

The Cayman EEZ presented many operational challenges.