May 30, 2025 —
A Coast Guard Research and Development Center team conducts a search and rescue exercise near St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, on Feb. 14, 2025. The demonstration tested how unmanned surface and aircraft systems could support real-world search and rescue operations – including persistent surveillance, vessel inspection and person-in-the-water recovery under challenging conditions. The exercise was coordinated through a distributed command structure involving Customs and Border Protection’s Caribbean Air and Marine Operations Center and supported by Sector San Juan and Boat Forces Unit St. Thomas. U.S. Coast Guard video by Lt. j.g Jorge Wismar.
View video here.
Related: Unmanned systems integration demo in Puerto Rico.
For more information: Research and Development Center page and Research, Development, Test & Evaluation and Innovation Program page