OMS Group and Exail have confirmed the acquisition of a second DriX O-16 Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) to support the growing demand for subsea cable infrastructure worldwide.
The addition of the second vessel is expected to accelerate OMS Group’s deployment of autonomous survey capabilities, following the purchase of a previous unit last year, now named USV Elite, which is set to launch in mid-2026.
Together, the two autonomous platforms are designed to support subsea cable installation campaigns globally, performing critical seabed surveys, route verification, and monitoring for telecommunications cable projects.
The DriX O-16 is built for long-duration survey missions, featuring an operational endurance of up to 30 days and a range of approximately 3,500 nautical miles, enabling operations with minimal reliance on crewed vessels. The platform is equipped with advanced sensor technology, including the Kongsberg EM124 multibeam echo sounder, providing the high-resolution seabed mapping required for large-scale infrastructure installations.
Ronnie Lim, Group Chief Executive Officer of OMS Group, stated, “As global demand for subsea digital infrastructure continues to grow, advanced survey capability has become increasingly important. The deployment of the DriX O-16 strengthens our ability to deliver high-quality seabed data with greater safety, lower emissions, and improved operational resilience, particularly for long-duration and remote offshore missions.”
The deployment of the USVs is part of a broader strategic ecosystem for OMS Group, including the planned use of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and the establishment of a Remote Operation Centre (ROC) in Singapore. This facility will enable remote supervision, real-time data validation, and coordinated multi-vehicle operations.
For Exail, the contract highlights the growing role of its DriX portfolio in offshore infrastructure projects. In addition to the O-16, the range includes the H-8 and H-9 models, offering scalable autonomous solutions tailored to the changing demands of offshore operations.
Olivier Cervantes, VP Maritime Autonomy Solutions, noted, “The subsea cable market is expanding rapidly, driven by global connectivity needs. Our DriX O-16, equipped with an EM124 multibeam echo sounder, provides cable-laying operators with the endurance and seabed coverage required to support complex installation campaigns. The use of USVs can reduce the survey carbon footprint by up to 99%, decrease human exposure at sea, and offer greater operational flexibility while maintaining high data quality.”
