RPAS Services for Maritime Surveillance with Extended Coastal Range

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) awarded a framework contract worth up to EUR 20 million to Nordic Unmanned for fixed-wing RPAS (drone) services using Textron Aerosonde systems to conduct long-range general maritime surveillance. Nordic Unmanned will provide operations, maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities, with the first system deployed in Denmark from October 2021 to support EMSA's surveillance needs across Europe. This contract introduces drone-based synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data as a new high-value dataset, complementing satellite and manned aircraft capabilities for maritime monitoring.

Notes

€20M framework (2+1+1yr). Textron Aerosonde fixed-wing for long-range general maritime surveillance. EMSA/OP/46/2020.