EMSA Selects Airbus Drone to Enhance Maritime Surveillance Operations

Airbus has been awarded a €30 million ($35 million) framework contract by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to provide Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) services. It will be the first deployment of Airbus’ Flexrotor Uncrewed Aerial System in Europe and will be used to expand the multipurpose maritime surveillance EMSA makes available to coast guards in member states of the EU.

EMSA has been providing drones for a range of missions, including emissions surveillance, search and rescue, and monitoring. According to Airbus, the Flexrotor surveillance capabilities will support the national competent authorities of EU Member States, Norway, and Iceland, as well as relevant EU institutions. Under the contract, the Flexrotor systems can be deployed in two operations in parallel with take-off sites within any participating country, with the flexibility to add supplementary parallel operations, if requested.

The Flexrotor is a Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) uncrewed aircraft with a launch weight of 25 kg (55 lbs), and in the configuration for EMSA will be able to operate for up to 10 hours. It can integrate different types of payloads, including an electro-optical system and advanced sensors to suit customers’ unique mission needs. With the ability to autonomously launch and recover from either land or sea, requiring only a 3.7 by 3.7 m (12 by 12 ft.) area, they report the Flexrotor is ideal for expeditionary missions requiring minimal footprint. Its capabilities are suited to extended coastal range and long-endurance missions.

Victor Gerin-Roze, Head of Uncrewed Aerial Systems at Airbus Helicopters, notes the contract “allows the Flexrotor to fly operationally for the first time in Europe and to serve the critical mission of enhancing maritime surveillance. We have conducted multiple demonstration flights with the Flexrotor across Europe, showcasing its long endurance and the variety of systems it can carry, which is unique for a UAS of this size.”

The core service includes flight operations utilizing the Flexrotor system, delivering Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) and radar imagery. This data will be streamed to the EMSA RPAS Data Centre, used by the relevant national authorities of the member states to follow the flights live. The services will directly support coast guard operations, including search and rescue operations, fisheries control and environmental protection, as well as the detection of illicit maritime activities.

The initial framework contract is for two years, with the provision for two additional one-year option periods, extending the maximum potential delivery timeframe up to four years. Service is scheduled to begin in 2026.