EMSA picks UAVs for surveillance activities

The European Maritime Safety Agency has picked a fixed-wing and a rotary-wing unmanned air vehicle to aid its border surveillance and control activities, according to two company announcements.

The Tekever and Collecte Localisation Satellites consortium announced it has been contracted by EMSA to use its AR5 UAS to provide data gathering services for the European agency’s environmental protection efforts.

The second UAV contract with the EMSA was announced by UMS Skeldar which will be delivering its V-200 SKELDAR rotary-wing UAV services.

UMS Skeldar’s share of a wider, €77 million worth UAV services contract for the EMSA, is worth €5 million and will be delivered through Martek Marine.

Under the EMSA contract awarded to Martek, drones will be used to assist with border control activities, search and rescue operations and monitoring of pollution, as well as the detection of illegal fishing and drug and people trafficking.