The Royal Navy has shown its clear intent for the greater use of autonomous and un-crewed technology in future operations.

Hervé Guillou, President of GICAN (the French Marine Industry Group) was auditioned on May 14. by the French Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Armed Forces to debate on the role the naval industry could play in the French economic upturn.

The Airbus Helicopters VSR700 naval VTOL UAV made its maiden flight on November 8 at the Aix-en-Provence drone test center (south of France). Several test captive-flights were successfully performed on an enhanced version of the UAV.

Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC) in partnership with the University of Hawaii, tested their unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities by delivering supplies onto a submarine off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, Oct. 10.

The European Defence Agency (EDA) Steering Board has just approved the launch of a 4-year CAT B project aimed at developing a swarm of biomimetic underwater vehicles for underwater intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (SABUVIS II), the EDA announced on September 27.

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) plans to assess the potential use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for SAR missions under a program named « Drone Demonstration and Development Project », a recent tender document reveals.