The US Navy Is Looking For Long-Range Drone Ships, And This Company May Have The Goods

Drone technology has reached new heights in recent years, with huge implications for the U.S. military. For example, the U.S. Navy is searching for ways to integrate unmanned vessels like the DARPA drone ship, which could forever change naval warfare. This is especially important in the Pacific Ocean, as China's increased naval presence has become a concern for the U.S. One company says it has developed some long-range drone ships that could serve a role in the U.S. military.

Blue Water Autonomy, a shipbuilding company based in Boston, Massachusetts, says it has conducted sea trials of a long‑range autonomous ship prototype intended for the U.S. Navy. The goal of Blue Water's new unmanned craft is to be able to travel thousands of miles with no humans onboard. This would give the Navy a way to maintain a strong and consistent presence without putting sailors at risk, while also reducing the costs of such massive deployments.

If Blue Water is able to deliver and were to gain the necessary contracts to move forward, it could greatly benefit the U.S. Navy. A combination of testing setbacks, software breakdowns, and even leadership controversy has stalled progress on similar drone projects. Frustration within the Pentagon has even led to internal investigations over the Navy's autonomous programs. If Blue Water's project goes according to plan, it could very well be a solution moving forward.

Blue Water Autonomy was originally founded in 2024 by a group of U.S. Navy veterans, along with professionals from Amazon Robotics and iRobot, the Roomba company that's responsible for at least 10 military robots. The company didn't wast any time, designing and developing a fully autonomous system within the first year. In the fall of 2025, Blue Water raised $50 million to construct a fully autonomous ship stretching 150 feet long. Just weeks after obtaining funding, Conrad Shipyard in Morgan City, Louisiana, was chosen as Blue Water's build site. The company's first line of unmanned vessels will be constructed at Conrad, with the first ship intended to launch in 2026. 

Blue Water isn't the only company constructing autonomous ships. General Dynamics is developing a small unmanned vessel nicknamed GHOST. Meanwhile, Saronic announced it had also secured a shipbuilder in Louisiana to build its 150-foot unmanned surface vessel.

Launching these ships into the sea will be a big milestone for these companies as the biggest issue for any unmanned drone manufacturer is the actual shipbuilding itself. After all, building a single prototype and producing a fleet of ships are two very different things. Advanced shipyards capable of doing the work are key, but there's also financing, long-term leases, and industrial planning to consider. Going to full-scale deployment means overcoming these problems, so there is still a ways to go before Blue Water Autonomy or its competitors can deliver on any promises to provide long-range drone ships to the U.S. Navy.