Airbus Helicopters U030 Flexrotor begins maritime surveillance ops for EMSA in Baltic Sea

The subcontractor Extensee serves as the operator of the U030 Flexrotor system. The start of operations followed a series of successful test flights, which validated technical and regulatory milestones for commissioning and supported the handover to Extensee.

First Deployment in the Baltic Sea Region

The first operational deployment began in July across the Baltic Sea region (Estonia, Latvia, and Finland). This marks the commissioning of the U030 Flexrotor under the EMSA program, where the system supports national authorities in maritime surveillance.

"We are pleased that the U030 Flexrotor is entering operational service under the EMSA contract. This is also its first operational deployment in Europe and an important contribution to strengthening maritime surveillance," said Victor Gerin-Roze, Head of Unmanned Aerial Systems at Airbus Helicopters. "The deployment in the Baltic region demonstrates the system's ability to operate effectively in diverse maritime environments while supporting key coast guard tasks. With this contract, we are contributing to the protection of Europe and the strengthening of its sovereignty – we are proud of this."

Live Mission Monitoring for National Authorities

The service provides operational situational awareness data, captured using:

• Electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors
• Radar systems

Data is transmitted in real-time to the EMSA RPAS data center, enabling participating national authorities to monitor missions live and directly integrate the information into their operational workflows.

Coast Guard Support Capabilities

The system supports a range of coast guard tasks, including:

• Search and rescue operations
• Fisheries monitoring
• Environmental surveillance
• Detection of illegal activities at sea

Operational Management

Management and coordination of RPAS operations are carried out by Airbus Helicopters under the EMSA contract, which enables simultaneous deployment in multiple participating countries. The U030 Flexrotor is operated by the service provider Extensee.

Airbus UAS Portfolio

Airbus offers a comprehensive portfolio of unmanned aerial systems through its Helicopters and Defence and Space divisions. The entire product range has been renamed to align with the company's helicopter and fixed-wing product designations.

Source: Airbus Helicopters