Airbus has signed a $35 million framework contract with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to provide maritime surveillance services using the Flexrotor drone.
The agreement provides direct support to coast guard missions in European Union countries, as well as Norway and Iceland, with the start of operations scheduled for 2026 and a duration of up to four years.
The Flexrotor will be used in tasks such as search and rescue, fisheries control, environmental protection and identification of illicit maritime activities. The aircraft will transmit real-time electro-optical and infrared images, as well as radar data, to EMSA’s RPAS Data Centre, allowing national authorities to follow missions live via a centralized system.
Designed to operate in challenging maritime environments, the Flexrotor is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drone, with a maximum weight of 25 kg and an autonomy of up to 10 hours in the configuration adopted by EMSA.
According to Airbus, the platform stands out for its flexibility, long flight duration and the ability to operate both on land and at sea, even with minimal infrastructure.
Source: Defence Blog | Photo: X @AirbusPRESS | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
European Maritime Safety Agency selects Airbus Flexrotor drone for maritime surveillance missions
Read the press release: LINK pic.twitter.com/IeGlKlCZtl— Airbus Newsroom (@AirbusPRESS) December 17, 2025
