An Autonomous Lookout for European Maritime Security

Elistair joins the SMAUG European project, deploying its tethered drone on an autonomous vessel for continuous port surveillance.

Lyon, June 3, 2025 – French company Elistair, specialized in tethered drones, has announced its participation in the European project SMAUG (Smart Maritime And Underwater Guardian). This collaborative program, funded by the European Union with nearly €6 million, brings together 21 partners from 7 countries around a common goal: strengthening surveillance and protection of sensitive port and maritime areas.

An innovative solution for enhanced maritime vigilance

Elistair will contribute to the project by integrating its latest-generation tethered drone aboard the consortium’s Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs), creating a persistent airborne lookout over port zones. This innovative 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 innovation 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 leverages a synergy of cutting-edge 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.