The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has selected Airbus to provide maritime surveillance services using its Flexrotor uncrewed aerial system under a €30 million framework contract.
The Flexrotor drones will support coast guard missions including search and rescue, fisheries monitoring, environmental protection and the detection of illegal activities at sea. Equipped with electro-optical, infrared and radar sensors, the drones will stream live data to EMSA’s drone data centre for use by national authorities across EU member states, as well as Norway and Iceland.
The contract runs for two years, with options to extend it to a maximum of four years. Operations are due to begin in 2026 and will be carried out by French service provider Extensee.
The Flexrotor is a 25 kg vertical take-off and landing drone capable of operating from land or sea with minimal space. It offers long endurance of up to 12–14 hours, making it suited for extended maritime surveillance missions.
