Aviation News – Airbus has secured a €30 million contract from the European Maritime Safety Agency to deliver uncrewed aerial surveillance services across European waters.
The agreement strengthens maritime safety by expanding long-range monitoring and persistent surveillance capabilities for coast guard operations.
The framework contract appoints Airbus to provide Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems services using its Flexrotor Uncrewed Aerial System. Awarded by EMSA, the deal marks the first operational deployment of Flexrotor services in Europe and supports multipurpose maritime surveillance missions, including border control, search and rescue support, and environmental monitoring.
Flexrotor is a vertical take-off and landing UAS designed for long endurance and operations from land or ships without complex infrastructure. Its modular payload design allows sensors to be swapped or bolt-mounted quickly, enabling operators to tailor missions for maritime patrol, detection, and situational awareness while reducing operational costs.
The contract positions Airbus to play a larger role in Europe’s evolving maritime security architecture, as agencies increasingly turn to uncrewed systems to improve coverage and efficiency. It also opens the door for broader adoption of RPAS services across additional civil and security applications.
With proven demonstrations already completed across Europe, Flexrotor now transitions from testing to sustained operations. The EMSA contract highlights growing confidence in uncrewed aerial systems as reliable tools for maritime surveillance and sets the stage for further expansion of Airbus’ UAS services portfolio.
