French firm's drone boat autonomously completes 1,100-mile-long voyage

A French company, Exail, has successfully completed an unprecedented autonomous maritime voyage with its uncrewed surface vehicle (USV), the DriX O-16. The 52-foot vessel traveled 1,100 nautical miles (2,000 km) from La Ciotat, France, to Troia, Portugal, crossing the busy Strait of Gibraltar in six days without any port stops. Operated under supervised autonomy from Exail’s Remote Operation Center, the mission demonstrated the USV’s endurance, situational awareness, and reliable decision-making in dense maritime traffic, marking a significant milestone in large USV operational capability. The DriX O-16 is designed for long-range missions, capable of up to 30 days of autonomous operation with a range of 3,500 nautical miles. It features a dual hybrid propulsion system combining electric and diesel power to ensure energy efficiency, operational safety, and extended endurance. During the voyage, the vessel also conducted seabed mapping using a Kongs