KORTHOS / ECOSYSTEM / PRODUCT

DriX O-16

About

About DriX O-16

DriX O-16 uses a diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system with a main engine, auxiliary electric azimuthing propulsor and redundant onboard services for long-duration ocean missions. Exail’s CortiX autonomy stack fuses radar, AIS, lidar, visible and infrared cameras and forward-looking sonar to detect obstacles, calculate avoidance routes and maintain navigation under remote supervision.

The vessel carries multibeam and single-beam echosounders, sub-bottom profilers, acoustic positioning equipment and scientific instruments across internal payload spaces and a large aft deck. An optional launch-and-recovery system deploys underwater vehicles while station-keeping holds the USV above the working area. Starlink, Iridium Certus and 4G links support over-the-horizon monitoring and prioritised data transfer.

Capabilities

Source-backed capabilities

  • Operating environments: ocean-depth survey and subsea infrastructure missions, Ports, coastal waters and offshore infrastructure
  • Control modes: Autonomous
  • Inspection

    Demonstrated - 2024-06-05 - The demonstration validates Exail conducts sea trials for DriX O-16 transoceanic USV's technology in maritime autonomy, underwater robotics or marine inspection workflows.

    Source
  • Subsea survey and inspection

    Claimed - 2024-06-05 - Deploy inspection-class ROVs or AUVs for subsea infrastructure and full-ocean-depth surveys. - environment: ocean-depth survey and subsea infrastructure missions

    Source
  • Marine survey and mapping

    Claimed - Follow planned offshore survey routes while collecting seabed and port-survey data. - environment: Ports, coastal waters and offshore infrastructure

    Source

Supply

Supply / Components

  • DriX O-16 (OMS Group configuration)

    Multibeam Echosounder - sensors - Kongsberg Discovery AS - Kongsberg EM124 multibeam sonar equips Exail's DriX O-16 configuration for OMS Group - source: exail.com

    Source

Timeline

  • Exail wins European defense contract for five DriX H-8 USVs

    2025-06-30 - Contract Award - The award covers a five-vessel DriX H-8 fleet for a defense customer. It is distinct from DriX O-16 sea trials and from Exail's Indonesian MCM award.

    Source
  • Exail conducts sea trials for DriX O-16 transoceanic USV

    2024-06-05 - Demonstration - The demonstration validated a larger DriX USV for long-range hydrographic and maritime missions. The demonstration validates Exail conducts sea trials for DriX O-16 transoceanic USV's technology in maritime autonomy, underwater robotics or marine inspection workflows.

    Source

Context

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