EMSA Picks Airbus Flexrotor for Maritime Surveillance

Flexrotor Uncrewed Aerial System | Photo: Airbus

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has selected Airbus to provide maritime surveillance services using the Flexrotor uncrewed aerial system under a €30 million framework contract, Airbus said on December 17. The contract covers the delivery of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) services to support a range of coast guard and maritime security missions.

Under the agreement, Airbus will supply turnkey RPAS services using the Flexrotor system, including flight operations and data delivery. The services will provide electro-optical, infrared, and radar imagery, which will be streamed in real time to the EMSA RPAS Data Centre. National authorities in participating countries will be able to monitor missions live.

“We are proud to partner with the European Maritime Safety Agency on this turnkey contract which allows the Flexrotor to fly operationally for the first time in Europe and to serve the critical mission of enhancing maritime surveillance,” said Victor Gerin-Roze, Head of Uncrewed Aerial Systems at Airbus Helicopters. “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. We welcome the opportunity to demonstrate in Europe why the Flexrotor is the leading high-performance, reliable solution for this mission profile,” he added.

The surveillance services will support missions including search and rescue, fisheries monitoring, environmental protection, and the detection of illegal maritime activities. Operations may be conducted in support of EU member states, Norway, Iceland, and relevant EU institutions.

The framework contract has an initial duration of two years, with options to extend for up to two additional one-year periods. Services are expected to begin in 2026, with flight operations carried out by French service provider Extensee.