above the waterline
Drone Alone
Drone-enhanced cruising may be the next big thing for boaters. BY DAVE WALLACE
T
he most powerful ships on the ocean today are giant aircraft carriers. They are virtual floating cities, with populations of more than 5,000 seamen—along with every conceivable support system to keep men and machinery in fighting trim. They also have the ability to extend influence far beyond their own range, through the use of air power. It’s true that many lesser vessels are capable of carrying helicopters for personal errands beyond the range of the mother ship, so the idea of using air power to extend the range of sea power is far from new. A new twist, however, would be the use of technology to introduce this power and convenience to a vast new market of recreational boaters. Consider these two seemingly unrelated facts of life. Fact Number One: Virtually all cruising boats that explore our Great Lakes are pretty slow compared to other forms of transportation. This lack of speed is slowed even further by the challenging nature of water and weather, including headwinds, breaking waves and reduced visibility. Fact Number Two: The past few years have seen incredible breakthroughs in the miniaturization and sophistication of aerial drones. They are being developed in a wide variety of sizes and a with a wide range of capabilities, from the folding, hand-launched miniaturization of the Pack Bot for terrain observation, to the bomb- and rocket-carrying Predators and Reapers. So…how do these seemingly unrelated facts work together to create new options for boaters? From my perspective (that of a frustrated cruiser who’s never exceeded 10 knots), I see the opportunity and the challenge of turning every cruising boat into a personal aircraft carrier through the development of marine-friendly drones. We can begin with the relatively simple desire for extended vision. Even the most powerful binoculars cannot see beyond the horizon, but a small video drone could be sent ahead to scan a distant shore, check the
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wave heights beyond a point of land ahead, or observe marina activity at your next port of call. Sophisticated, upgraded versions could actually be programmed to serve many cruising needs that are currently out of range. A shuttle drone could be programmed to run simple errands. It would be sophisticated enough to allow remote landings and takeoffs. It would be sturdy enough to transport a modest amount of cargo; say, a six-pack of beer. You are a mile offshore and out of refreshments. You launch your medium-range cargo drone, codename “Boomerang,” and use the forward-mounted high def TV camera to locate the nearest 7-Eleven onshore. You land it in the parking lot, where it immediately attracts a small crowd of curiosity seekers. You use your TV scanner to identify the most trustworthy-looking person there, then use your digital voice transmission link to ask for their help in completing the mission. The process might go something like this: “Attention blonde lady with the straw cowboy hat and pink blouse…would you please remove the $20 bill inserted in the forward cash cockpit of this aircraft…use it to purchase a cold six-pack of Bud Lite…place that in the rear cargo compartment, and keep the change. Thank you very much.” A more sophisticated model, codename “Placeholder,” could be sent ahead to those desirable but regimented marinas with slip assignment rules that require you to actually arrive within eyesight before a slip can be assigned. Placeholder would be a float plane that, once launched from your boat, could circle the harbor masters’ office while you made a verbal credit card commitment or an electronic cash transfer before landing and taking physical and legal possession of the slip to hold it for your late arrival. These two examples are simply the first off the top of my head, but I stand by my conviction that drone enhanced-cruising will be the next big thing for lakeland boaters. DAVE WALLACE has been boating in the
Great Lakes for more than 35 years. He’s written for Lakeland Boating since 1993 and helped develop the first edition of Lakeland Boating’s Ports o’ Call cruising guides. ILLUSTRATION BY MIKE HARRIS