Typhoons are often associated with summer, but in reality they can form year-round. To better study and forecast typhoons, scientists must work with these powerful storms throughout the year.

In mid-June this year, a research team led by Prof. Peiliang LI from ZJU Ocean College successfully guided the uncrewed saildrone Albatross into the eye of Typhoon Butterfly from the north and out through the southeastern side about half an hour later. During the mission, the saildrone withstood winds of up to 44 knots (about 81 km/h), remained undamaged, and collected first-hand meteorological and ocean-wave data throughout the event.

This marked the first time in China’s marine meteorology history that an uncrewed ocean vehicle actively crossed a typhoon eye to conduct air–sea interface observations, providing critical data on typhoon structure and evolution and significantly improving forecasting accuracy. On July 20, Albatross successfully crossed the core wind region of Typhoon Wipha, further demonstrating its capabilities. The achievement represents a major step forward in ocean observation and disaster prevention.

Inspired by Orcas to Reduce Sailing Resistance

In 2014, during typhoon research, Prof. LI deployed 17 buoys to study the impact of mesoscale eddies on modal water dissipation. However, because buoys drift passively, keeping them within eddies proved extremely challenging. This inspired the idea of developing a controllable “intelligent buoy” capable of actively navigating to target areas.

In 2021, Prof. LI established the Marine Process and Equipment Team at Zhejiang University’s Hainan Institute to begin developing the saildrone. Designing the hull became the first major challenge: the vehicle needed to operate both on the surface and underwater. Inspired by orcas—animals capable of fast movement both above and below water—the team discovered through simulations that an orca-inspired shape could reduce surface sailing resistance by 28% without increasing underwater resistance.

Manufacturing also posed difficulties. Instead of paying millions for steel molds, the team built the fiberglass hull by hand using 3D printing and manual craftsmanship. Thus, the first-generation Albatross was born—named after the bird renowned for its ability to harness the wind and predict weather.

2,200 Hours of Testing to Harness the Wind

After construction, the saildrone underwent extensive sea trials. Over three years, the team continuously refined the design, accumulating more than 2,200 hours of testing. Early prototypes often returned damaged, but gradual improvements stabilized the system and enhanced its ability to survive extreme conditions.

When Typhoon Butterfly began forming, the team deployed the second-generation Albatross 530 km north of the storm and monitored it around the clock. At 00:28 on June 13, the saildrone entered the eye of the typhoon—prompting cheers from the team as the mission succeeded.

This breakthrough provides new tools for understanding air–sea interactions and improving typhoon forecasting and disaster prevention capabilities.

Toward the Deep Blue and Extreme Ocean Environments

Although the second-generation saildrone succeeded, it revealed limitations in size and payload capacity. Within a month, the team finalized the design of the third generation, which is 1.5 meters longer and features an integrated control system for stronger wind resistance. The upgraded sail structure can withstand extreme typhoon wind stress and carries advanced equipment including a wind profiler radar, cameras, and satellite communication antennas—transforming it into a true “mobile ocean laboratory.”

The upgraded saildrone is now preparing for long-distance missions in harsh sea conditions from Guangdong to Hainan. Ultimately, the team aims for global voyages and dives to depths of 1,000 meters. Future missions will even begin in the challenging westerly wind belt, marking the start of a global journey into extreme air–sea environments.

“Rather than waiting for the wind, we choose to chase it,” said Prof. LI.(With contributions from Jiaru LIU)

(People’s Daily, December 1, 2025)