Exail’s DriX O-16 has just pulled off a maritime milestone: a 1,100-nautical-mile (2,000 km) transoceanic voyage from La Ciotat, France, to Troia, Portugal—all without a soul on board. This isn’t just another uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) test run. It’s a live-fire demonstration of what’s possible when autonomy, endurance, and real-world operational demands collide.
The DriX O-16, a 16-meter platform, didn’t just cross the Atlantic—it threaded the needle through the Strait of Gibraltar, one of the world’s most congested maritime choke points. For six days straight, it navigated dense traffic, dodging supertankers and container ships, all while being remotely supervised from Exail’s Remote Operation Center (ROC) in La Ciotat. This wasn’t a leisurely cruise. It was a stress test of situational awareness, decision-making, and endurance in the real world.
The mission’s success isn’t just about proving the DriX O-16 can go the distance—it’s about proving it can arrive mission-ready. No port calls. No heavy logistical support. Just a fully autonomous vessel pulling up to NATO’s REPMUS 2025 exercise, raring to go. This is a game-changer for naval and commercial operations alike. Imagine deploying survey vessels, patrol craft, or even supply ships without the need for crew rotations, accommodation, or constant oversight. The cost savings alone could redefine maritime logistics.
But here’s where it gets even more interesting: while the DriX O-16 was making its way to Portugal, it wasn’t just cruising. It was working. Equipped with a Kongsberg EM304 multibeam echosounder, the USV conducted seabed mapping operations on the fly. This isn’t a one-trick pony—it’s a multi-role asset that can collect critical data while en route to its next mission. For industries like offshore energy, subsea cable laying, or even environmental monitoring, this kind of dual-purpose capability is a goldmine.
The real question now is: how fast can the maritime industry adapt? The DriX O-16 has just rewritten the rulebook on long-range autonomy. The next step is scaling this technology across different vessel types and use cases. If large USVs can reliably operate in constrained sea lanes and arrive fully mission-capable, what’s stopping the industry from embracing this model en masse? The answer, it seems, is nothing but inertia.