There have been 27 attempts to cross the Atlantic Ocean by unmanned boats, but all have failed. Some of these boats have been completely autonomous, meaning that once the boat begins its journey no person can adjust its course, while other boats can be remotely controlled.
Attempts have been made from both sides of the Atlantic, attempting to cross the ocean from west to east and east to west. Sometimes boats start right from shore, while others are launched from a mothership several hundred kilometres from land. Some boats are entered in the Microtransat Challenge, a transatlantic race for autonomous boats, while others are not.
The boats have failed for numerous reasons and once human interference is required to fix a vessel, it is disqualified. Technical malfunctions, storms, sharks, fishing gear entanglement and collisions are just a few of the challenges these vessels have encountered. Some of the boats have been recovered, either picked up by a passing ship or washed onto a beach, while others have forever disappeared into their watery grave.
Below we have compiled a list of all the attempts we are aware of.
