France's SHOM selects Exail's DriX H-8 USV

Exail's DriX H-8 is designed for medium-range operations of up to 10 days and out to a range of 1,000 n miles. (Exail)

France's Naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (Service Hydrographique et Océanographique de la Marine: SHOM) has confirmed the acquisition of one DriX H-8 unmanned surface vessel (USV) from French robotics and maritime technologies company Exail.

Announcing the milestone on 16 December, Exail said the acquisition marks a strategic milestone in the modernisation of SHOM's capabilities and will help address the growing demand for reliable and certified marine data for civilian and military purposes.

An Exail spokesperson told Janes that the company expects to deliver the USV to SHOM around mid-2025.

In service, the DriX H-8 will be deployed for a wide range of hydrographic tasks, including seabed topography, wreck detection, and seabed composition analysis. It will also play a significant role in preliminary studies for offshore wind farm development. In addition to enhancing understanding of the marine environment the collected data will also expand France's intervention capabilities over increasingly extensive areas, including deep-sea regions, Exail said.

DriX H-8 is a medium-range USV with a length of 7.71 m and weighs 1,600 kg. It has an endurance of up to 10 days, a range of 1,000 n miles, a fuel capacity of 550 litres, and a maximum speed of 14 kt. The USV is equipped with a dedicated launch and recovery system (LARS) for the deployment of remotely operated towed vehicles. It can conduct both remote-controlled and supervised autonomous operations and is transportable in a 40 ft High Cube container.