Designed for integration
Exail has successfully completed sea trials validating the integration of new third-party payloads onto its DriX O-16 unmanned surface vessel (USV). Beyond the technical milestone, this demonstration highlights Exail’s philosophy of designing open, modular architectures capable of rapidly adopting best-in-class technologies to meet constantly evolving operational needs.
Conducted in real-world maritime conditions, the trials featured the deployment of an Elistair Khronos tethered drone system and Safran VIGY 4 EO/IR observation camera. These successful integrations highlight the openness and modularity of the DriX architecture, showing it can rapidly adopt mission-specific payloads and supporting a wide range of maritime security, surveillance, and intelligence missions. This multi-sensor approach illustrates how combining complementary technologies offers a much richer understanding of the maritime environment.
Extending Maritime Surveillance Beyond the Horizon
By adding Elistair’s tethered drone, Exail gives the DriX a persistent, “eye-in-the-sky” advantage. Operating directly from the moving USV, the drone provides continuous aerial surveillance with uninterrupted power and secure data transmission via its tether. Equipped with an EO/IR stabilized camera featuring long-range DRI (Detection, Recognition, and Identification) capabilities, the drone allows operators to spot and track elements of interest from much further away.
Combined with the DriX platform’s long-endurance autonomous navigation capabilities, this aerial vantage point significantly increases the surveillance range and detection potential of maritime operations.
To complement the drone, state-of-the-art Safran’s VIGY 4 EO/IR, combining visible, MWIR, and SWIR stabilized vision, brings high-performance, high-resolution day and night all-weather imaging to the table. This allows for precise detection, tracking, and identification of elements of interest even in choppy or complex marine environments. Together, the two systems form a robust sensor suite that gives operators a clear, real-time picture of the water.
During the trials, both the DriX O-16 and its new payloads were managed remotely from Exail’s Remote Operations Center (ROC) in La Ciotat, France. This setup proved that teams can run complex, over-the-horizon surveillance missions from shore—keeping personnel safe on land while expanding operational reach at sea.
A Platform Designed for Integration
Beyond the tech specs, the demonstration proves that the DriX O-16 is a truly open platform. Exail designed the USV with the onboard power, software architecture, and deck space needed to swap payload systems quickly. This plug-and-play approach means clients can customize the vessel for specific missions without losing access to Exail’s core autonomous navigation and mission management software.
A Scalable Ecosystem for Evolving Needs
By fostering an open ecosystem where third-party reference solutions can be easily integrated, Exail ensures its platforms evolve faster alongside industry innovation. As maritime security operators face growing pressure to monitor wider areas with fewer personnel, this scalable approach transforms the DriX into a versatile force multiplier ready for border protection, critical infrastructure monitoring, and intelligence-gathering missions.
