Maritime Police to deploy Portuguese-made drones to patrol national waters

Portugal’s Maritime Police will soon be using Portuguese-built autonomous drones to help monitor the country’s coastline and maritime territory after technology company Tekever secured its first contract with the National Maritime Authority (AMN).

The agreement will see Tekever supply its AR3 EVO unmanned aerial system to support surveillance, reconnaissance, identification and search-and-rescue missions across Portuguese waters.

The contract marks the first collaboration between the AMN and the Lisbon-founded technology company, which has become one of Portugal’s most successful defence and autonomous systems firms.

According to Tekever, the new capability will significantly expand the maritime police’s surveillance reach while providing real-time operational intelligence during maritime security and emergency response operations.

The system includes autonomous aircraft, a ground control station, operator training and technical support services. Once training is completed, the drones will be operated directly by maritime police personnel.

Pedro Petiz, Tekever’s director of strategic development, said the project “places autonomous technology developed and manufactured in Portugal at the service of protecting our maritime space.”

A key element of the agreement, he added, is the transfer of knowledge and expertise that will allow the maritime police to develop an autonomous operational capability using the new systems.

The AR3 EVO system was selected following a public tender and is designed for operations in challenging environments. One of its main advantages is its vertical take-off and landing capability, allowing it to operate from vessels or locations with limited infrastructure.

The platform can remain airborne for up to 14 hours and is equipped with high-definition optical, thermal and communications sensors capable of transmitting information in real time.

Tekever says its drone technology has accumulated thousands of flight hours in maritime operations around the world, including coastal patrols, border protection, environmental monitoring, search-and-rescue missions and the detection of suspicious activities at sea.

The contract comes as the company continues to expand internationally. Earlier this month, Tekever secured a deal in Canada to deploy its AR3 drone systems in wildfire detection and monitoring operations in Alberta, where the aircraft will provide real-time intelligence to emergency response teams.

Source: Executive Digest

Michael Bruxo

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.