Mac McDonald

Mac has spent over 26 years in the maritime sector, bringing a wealth of operational and leadership experience from military, commercial, and scientific environments. After 23 years in the Royal Marines, specialising in global maritime operations in the littoral domain, he transitioned into the marine autonomy sector, managing complex operations involving crewed and uncrewed systems across land, sea, and air, both in the UK and overseas.

Now Head of the Marine Operations Group at Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), Mac leads the Marine Technology and Autonomy team, as well as managing PML’s crewed and uncrewed vessels. He is responsible for the safe and effective delivery of all at-sea operations, supporting PML’s scientific missions and the wider National Centre for Coastal Autonomy (NCCA). He also oversees the operation of Smart Sound Plymouth – the UK’s premier test range for marine autonomy.

Mac’s role covers everything from high-level planning and project delivery to hands-on oversight of marine platforms, safety protocols, and operational logistics. He is particularly focused on integrating new technologies into working practice and enabling others to succeed through well-managed, safe, and effective operations.

He holds a Master’s degree in Advanced Hydrography and is actively involved in shaping the future of autonomous maritime operations. He is chair of the Boat User’s Group, co-chair of the FAST Cluster Remote Operations Centres Subgroup and a member of both the National Correspondence Group for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (NCG-MASS) and its Remote Operations Subgroup.