Maritime Robotics demonstrated a maritime autonomous drone swarm for the US Navy during a live operation in the Trondheim Fjord on 9 April. The demonstration showed how multiple unmanned surface vessels operate in coordinated real time, with integrated sensors, remote control, and autonomous collaboration in realistic maritime scenarios.
– The US is in the lead. They are placing orders now to build up their arsenal. They understand that you cannot wait two years and see how this develops, says Eirik Hovstein, Vice President Defence & Security at Maritime Robotics.
Autonomous maritime operations were taken from concept to practice as multiple USVs were deployed in realistic scenarios. The demonstration provided participants with a concrete understanding of platform capabilities, including remote control, real-time data transmission, and supervised autonomy in dynamic environments.
One of the highlights was the demonstration of a maritime autonomous drone swarm, where multiple vessels operated in coordinated formation to simulate the protection of a mothership, a concept that is becoming increasingly important in modern naval operations.
– The way warfare was conducted a year ago – you would not have survived more than a couple of days today, said Hovstein.
The maneuver illustrated how multiple autonomous platforms can operate together under remote supervision, combining autonomy with effective vessel-to-vessel cooperation.
Maritime Robotics’ autonomous vessel Mariner USV carried out advanced seabed mapping, while the larger Mariner X demonstrated autonomous navigation and collision avoidance in dynamic conditions.
The larger vessels departed from Maritime Robotics’s base in Vanvikan on Fosen, while the smaller Otter units operated in the Trondheim harbour basin. All operations were controlled from the company’s Remote Operations Center (ROC) at Brattørkaia in Trondheim, where real-time monitoring and control were maintained throughout the demonstration.
The Otter platform also carried out deployment and recovery of an underwater ROV, demonstrating how surface and subsea systems can be integrated for real-time data collection.
The demonstration was streamed live to a broad international audience, with real-time data feeds including sonar (MBES), magnetometer data, and video shared throughout the operation. This provided direct insight into key enabling technologies such as beyond-line-of-sight communication, sensor fusion, and human–machine interfaces.
The event was conducted in collaboration with Koniag Government Services. A technical Q&A session followed, allowing participants to explore operational aspects such as logistics, deployment, and mission-specific adaptation.
– The pace of development is so fast that technology that was cutting-edge only a few months ago can quickly become outdated, said Hovstein.
– The market is so large that we have no chance of covering it alone, and the maritime drone industry is not set up for scale. Very few players are able to produce thousands of units per year, said Eirik Hovstein.
Experience from Ukraine also demonstrates the operational maturity of the systems, including their use in clearing sea lanes for mine threats to enable Ukrainian grain exports in the Black Sea.
– The systems we delivered in 2023 are still operational – that says something about their robustness. They are being used in some of the most demanding conditions imaginable. In 2025, our systems identified more than 70 subsea objects, and the operators down there are the most experienced we have seen, they use the systems every day and continuously push their limits, said Eirik Hovstein.
The strong international interest contrasts with more limited domestic attention, but underscores a rapidly growing global demand for unmanned systems that enhance maritime security and operational efficiency at sea.
– It is striking that Norway does not yet have operational maritime drones, Eirik Hovstein adds.
Mariner USV and Mariner X departed from their base in Vanvikan. Photo: Maritime Robotics
Maritime Robotics is a member of the Ocean Autonomy Cluster, NORDSEC Nordic Defence and Security Cluster, and Maritimt Forum Midt-Norge, main partner for Testination - Test Arena for Maritime Operations in Trondheimsfjorden, as well as an incubator company in the FI Ocean Space Incubator, where the company works closely with a range of other companies across the cluster networks.
For members of the Ocean Autonomy Cluster and NORDSEC, the demonstration highlighted both the maturity of Norwegian-developed technology and the expanding international market for autonomous maritime systems.