VIGILANSEA Program Targets Persistent UAV–USV Maritime Operations

DIODON has launched Vigilansea, aimed at enabling persistent Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) operations at sea for surveillance and inspection missions.

Funded by the French government under France 2030, this three-year program will be led by DIODON in partnership with SeaOwl Technology Solutions and ISAE-SUPAERO.

Building on DIODON’s ongoing work in aerial–surface interoperability, the project centres on the development of two key technological building blocks: a new-generation maritime UAV designed for long-endurance operations in open seas, and an onboard UAV station for USVs, DIODON REEF, enabling deployment, recovery, recharging, and operational readiness of the aerial platform, allowing repeated high-sea missions without human intervention.

These developments will be complemented by the design of a dedicated SeaOwl USV for autonomous UAV deployment at sea, supported by ISAE-SUPAERO’s expertise in aerodynamic optimisation and advanced flight control systems.

A Roadmap Built on Operational Experimentation

Over the past several years, DIODON has developed its expertise in the hardware and software integration of maritime UAVs within existing naval architectures, with a particular emphasis on UAV–USV cooperation.

Its software integration capabilities were notably demonstrated during Dronathlon 2024, where successful C2 interfacing was achieved using onboard communication systems, including satellite connectivity integrated on the USV.

In 2025, participation in NATO Task Force X Baltic further validated DIODON’s hardware integration expertise through the development of a deployment module enabling the launch of the DIODON HP30 from USVs: the DIODON LAUNCHER.

At the same time, DIODON’s experience in designing UAVs specifically for maritime environments has addressed one of the key barriers to interoperability: ensuring the aircraft can withstand the demanding conditions associated with USV operations, including watertightness, positive buoyancy, structural robustness, and resistance to corrosion, sea spray, wind, and waves.

Toward Autonomous Persistence in Open Seas

The operational objective is to enable sustained maritime presence by combining the endurance of a surface drone with the aerial observation capabilities of a UAV. This approach expands maritime coverage, supports automated mission execution, and reduces human exposure in complex operational environments.

By integrating autonomous deployment and recovery, onboard recharging, and real-time coordination through resilient communication architectures, VIGILANSEA seeks to enable repeated mission execution without human intervention.

Within this framework, the UAV operates as a remote sensor for the surface platform, extending surveillance from open seas to coastal areas, accelerating the detection and identification of suspicious activities, and enhancing overall maritime situational awareness.

This architecture enables a broad range of missions, including maritime surveillance and counter-trafficking operations, the protection of critical coastal and offshore infrastructure and sensitive areas, environmental inspection and pollution detection, and maritime safety and security operations across wide maritime zones.

Antoine TOURNET, CEO & Co-founder of DIODON Drone Technology, commented, “The control of maritime spaces has always been a central strategic challenge. Today, however, the scale of the areas to be monitored and the intensity of maritime activities make it a challenge of an entirely different magnitude. Ensuring extended and sustained coverage requires complementing human assets with collaborative, integrated robotic solutions.”