Airbus U030 Flexrotor begins maritime surveillance missions for European agency

Airbus Helicopters’ U030 Flexrotor tactical unmanned aerial system (UAS) has entered operational service in Europe, supporting maritime surveillance missions for the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) in the Baltic Sea.

The deployment follows a €30 million framework contract awarded to Airbus Helicopters by EMSA in December 2025 to provide remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) services for maritime surveillance across the European Union. Operations are carried out with subcontractor Extensee.

The first operational missions began in July 2026 in the Baltic region, covering Estonia, Latvia and Finland, following a series of successful test flights to validate technical and regulatory requirements.

Equipped with electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors and radar systems, the U030 Flexrotor provides real-time intelligence to EMSA’s RPAS Data Centre, allowing national authorities to monitor missions and integrate information into their operations.

The system supports a range of maritime security tasks, including search and rescue, fisheries monitoring, environmental protection and the detection of illegal activities at sea.

Airbus said the Baltic deployment demonstrates the Flexrotor’s ability to operate in challenging maritime environments while strengthening European coast guard capabilities and supporting EU maritime security objectives. The aircraft is managed by Airbus Helicopters under the EMSA framework and operated by Extensee.