Exail has marked a significant step forward in maritime autonomy with its DriX O-16, a 16-metre transoceanic uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) that has just completed a groundbreaking 1,100-nautical-mile (2,000 km) voyage. The platform sailed from La Ciotat, France, to Troia, Portugal, to take part in NATO’s REPMUS 2025 exercise – proving not only the range of autonomous surface systems but also their readiness for operational deployment.

Navigating past the Balearic Islands and through the Strait of Gibraltar, one of the busiest and most complex maritime passages worldwide, the DriX O-16 completed the six–day crossing without a single port call. Throughout the mission, it was supervised remotely from Exail’s Operation Center in La Ciotat, showcasing endurance, situational awareness, and autonomous decision–making in crowded sea lanes.

Maturity level
The successful crossing underlines the maturity of Exail’s surface drone technology. Far beyond a symbolic achievement, the voyage demonstrates how large USVs can be reliably deployed over long distances, supervised from shore, and arrive on station fully mission–capable without heavy logistical support. Along the way, the DriX O-16 also conducted seabed mapping operations with a Kongsberg EM304 multibeam echosounder, reinforcing its ability to generate valuable data while in transit.

“With this unprecedented long-range transit, Exail’s DriX O-16 shows that large USVs are now an operational reality,” said Sébastien Grall, head of maritime autonomy solutions at Exail. “As the first uncrewed platform to successfully execute such a mission, it sets a new benchmark in surface autonomy—safe, reliable, and mission-ready.”

 

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