Robot boat sails into history to become the first unmanned vessel to cross the Atlantic as it completes a 1,800-mile trip from Canada to Ireland

A robotic craft has made history as the first unmanned sailboat to cross the Atlantic after a 1,800-mile (3,000 km) journey from Newfoundland in Canada to Ireland.

The boat's two-and-a-half-month journey saw it cross the churning North Atlantic as part of the Microtransat Challenge - a transatlantic race for autonomous boats.

The SB Met, built by Norwegian company Offshore Sensing AS, is the first vessel to complete the challenge after more than 20 attempts by various teams.

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.

They're part of wider efforts to develop autonomous marine vessels such as robotic ferries and cargo ships that could be operating by the end of the decade.

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