DriX O-16

Exail's DriX O-16 uncrewed surface vessel completed sea trials in mid-July 2026 integrating an Elistair Khronos tethered drone and a Safran VIGY 4 electro-optical/infrared camera, demonstrating over-the-horizon surveillance directed from a crewless hull.

The DriX family is a compact, containerised uncrewed surface vessel built for hydrographic survey, patrol and mine-countermeasures support, able to operate autonomously for extended periods and carry interchangeable sonar, camera and communications payloads.

Flying a tethered drone from the O-16 extends its sensor horizon well beyond mast height without adding a crewed aircraft, letting a single autonomous hull cover survey, patrol and surveillance tasks that would otherwise need separate platforms, and previewing the third-party payload model now spreading across naval uncrewed-vessel design.