RPAS Services for Multipurpose Maritime Surveillance

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has awarded Airbus Defence and Space a €30 million framework contract to provide multipurpose maritime surveillance services using the Flexrotor VTOL uncrewed aerial system (UAS), including flight operations delivering EO/IR and radar imagery to support Coast Guard missions such as search and rescue, fisheries control, environmental protection, and detection of illicit activities across EU Member States, Norway, and Iceland. This turnkey service, performed by French provider Extensee, enables the first operational flights of the Flexrotor in Europe starting in 2026, with an initial two-year term extendable to four years, enhancing extended coastal range and long-endurance ISTAR capabilities. Strategically, it strengthens European maritime domain awareness through real-time data streaming to the EMSA RPAS Data Centre for national authorities.

Notes

Framework: VTOL Flexrotor. 2yr+2x1yr. EO/IR+radar to EMSA Data Centre. Operated by Extensee (FR). Merged TED refs: 749876-2025, 821422-2025