Map of saildrone's route in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, July-September 2023

On July 19, a wind and solar-powered uncrewed surface vehicle called a Saildrone Explorer was launched on Lake Michigan out of Charlevoix, Michigan. The vehicle is equipped with several environmental sensors both under and above the water, including a fisheries echosounder that uses sound to detect fish, much like a fish-finder on a fishing boat, and is operated by Saildrone, Inc. The saildrone will operate in northern Lake Michigan and throughout Lake Huron through the end of September.