Robot ship will cross the Atlantic to celebrate 400 years since Mayflower voyage

A cutting-edge, £1 million robot ship will cross the Atlantic Ocean unmanned next year to commemorate 400 years since the maiden voyage of the Mayflower to the USA. The Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) will set off on its pioneering, 2,750-mile trip in September 2020, following in the trail of its namesake 400 years earlier. The 15-metre long, catamaran-style ship will be powered by state-of-the-art renewable energy. It will be unmanned but will have marine AI on board, and will be steered from a control room in Plymouth, Devon - where the original Mayflower set off from. It will carry three research pods, containing sensors and other equipment, which scientists hope will pave the way for ground-breaking research into ocean conditions for autonmous navigation.