Elistair will be participating in the European project SMAUG (Smart Maritime And Underwater Guardian), with the goal of strengthening surveillance and protection of sensitive port and maritime areas.
This collaborative program, funded by the European Union, brings together 21 partners from 7 countries.
Elistair will contribute to the project by integrating its latest-generation tethered drone aboard the consortium’s Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs), providing a persistent airborne surveillance capability over port zones. This configuration enables the creation of a mobile aerial surveillance platform, capable of maintaining continuous visual coverage of port environments.
Powered via a continuous electric cable and a secure data link from the vessel, the drone can remain airborne for several hours without interruption, while transmitting live, encrypted video feeds. This will provide authorities with a permanent “eye in the sky” to autonomously detect suspicious activities in real time.
European ports are facing increasingly sophisticated methods of infiltration and maritime trafficking: stealth underwater vehicles, objects attached to hulls, undetected divers, and more. The SMAUG project aims to enhance underwater detection capabilities by combining five technologies: hydrophones, high-resolution sonar, swarms of underwater drones, hull scanners, and tethered drones.
Data collected by these sensors will be analyzed using artificial intelligence modules to detect threats such as explosives or illegal cargo.
Port infrastructures today face growing technological challenges: detecting discreet intrusions, enabling night surveillance, increasing control over submerged areas and ship hulls.
The SMAUG project combines multiple advanced technologies to monitor these environments:
- Hydrophones
- High-resolution sonars
- Hull scanners
- Cooperative underwater drones
- Aerial tethered drones
Data gathered from these sensors will be analyzed by intelligent modules to detect anomalies or atypical behavior at an early stage.
Guilhem De Marliave, CEO and Co–founder of Elistair, stated, “This strategic project for the protection of European port infrastructure reflects the trust placed in Elistair and its technology. It embodies our vision of robotics serving the safety of people and critical sites. Integrating a tethered drone on an autonomous vessel marks a major step forward, providing continuous, mobile, and preventive maritime surveillance to stay ahead of emerging threats.”
Initial tests carried out in May 2025 confirmed the successful deployment of Elistair’s tethered drone on a Maritime Robotics autonomous vessel in real-world conditions. This proof of concept validated the system’s performance under demanding maritime conditions, both stationary and in motion.
Following this success, the project partners are planning two large-scale demonstrations in 2025 and 2026 in the ports of Valencia (Spain) and Drammen (Norway).
