The U.S. Coast Guard successfully used Airbus’s Flexrotor drone on September 19, 2025, to aid in a maritime operation that led to a significant narcotics seizure. The mission highlights the growing role of unmanned aircraft in maritime security and drug interdiction efforts.
Flexrotor is a compact VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) UAV designed for long-endurance maritime surveillance from small ships or austere shore sites. With a takeoff weight of about 25 kilograms and equipped with EO/IR sensors, it can stay aloft for up to 14 hours. Operators typically reserve payload capacity for stabilized cameras and a compact maritime surveillance package. Its small launch and recovery footprint allows it to operate from modest patrol craft with minimal crew.
A key feature of Flexrotor is its smooth transition from vertical lift to fixed-wing flight, enabling efficient fuel use and extended on-station time. During the recent operation, the drone provided persistent overwatch, guiding Coast Guard units onto a suspect vessel and relaying position and heading data to ensure optimal timing of the boarding. It can also function as an ad hoc communications relay, supporting teams in challenging conditions.
Across regions such as the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Indo-Pacific, patrol areas are vast, and operational demands are high. Long-endurance VTOL drones like Flexrotor extend surveillance capabilities while freeing crewed assets for missions that only humans can perform. Airbus’s modular approach, integrating heavy-fuel engines, secure data links, and flexible sensor packages, demonstrates how small drones are becoming a practical force multiplier in maritime security.
