The state of naval autonomy

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.—Dozens of onlookers gathered on a pier overlooking the Potomac River, shivering in the cold wind to see a small, 24-foot long vessel speed around without a captain.  It was Corsair, the smallest offering from robot-boat startup company Saronic, demonstrating how well it could maneuver in choppy waters with other craft passing by. And while it drew the largest crowd of the day, it wasn’t the only autonomous or semi-crewed vessel docked just outside of th