Robot boat sails into history by crossing Atlantic

SOUTHAMPTON, England - All summer, the small boat drifted steadily eastward across the churning North Atlantic until it neared the Irish coast, where it made history by becoming the first unmanned sailboat to cross the Atlantic.

The SB Met, built by Norwegian company Offshore Sensing AS, reached the finish line of the Microtransat Challenge for robotic boats on Aug 26, two and a half months after setting off from Newfoundland, according to preliminary data.

It's a milestone that shows the technology for unmanned boats is robust enough to carry out extended missions that can dramatically cut costs for ocean research, border security and surveillance in rough or remote waters.