Shom Strengthens its Hydrographic Capabilities With Exail's DriX H-9 Uncrewed Surface Vessel

The french hydrographic and oceanographic service (Shom) has selected Exail’s DriX H-9 Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) to further expand its hydrographic and oceanographic capabilities. The acquisition supports Shom’s objective to deliver certified, high-quality maritime data more rapidly, responding to increasing civil and military needs across expanding areas of interest.

Following the recent delivery and operational deployment of the DriX H-8, ordered in December 2024, Shom has confirmed the value of uncrewed surface systems for hydrographic surveys. Building on this experience, the new DriX H-9 will enhance survey operations offering increased endurance, greater autonomy and increased operational flexibility. With an autonomy up to 20 days (depending on the payload), the DriX H-9 can be deployed either directly from shore or from Shom’s hydrographic and oceanographic vessel Beautemps-Beaupré, enabling flexible integration into existing survey operations.

By leveraging uncrewed technologies, Shom can accelerate data acquisition cycles, extend survey coverage, and ensure the timely availability of reliable information essential for a wide range of applications, including safety of navigation, environmental monitoring, coastal management, and maritime planning.

This new order reflects the confidence Shom places in Exail’s uncrewed surface systems and in the operational maturity of the DriX platform. By supporting Shom in the dronization of its hydrographic fleet, we are contributing to more efficient collection of maritime data, helping decision-makers address increasingly complex civil and military challenges. As the third DriX H-9 ordered in just a few months by different customers, this latest acquisition confirms that the platform’s extended endurance and autonomy effectively address a wide range of operational needs.” Pierre-Louis Roudaut France Sales Manager at Exail

“The DriX-H9 will offer strong complementarity with Shom’s other data acquisition assets, in particular with Marlin, our DriX H-8, with which it can be operated jointly. Its capabilities will allow deployment directly from the Brest naval base, from where it will be able to autonomously reach survey areas in the English Channel or the Atlantic Ocean. This new DriX will also benefit from the experience gained by our teams through Marlin, as well as from shared infrastructures.” Denis Creach, Shom’s Transformation hydro-oceanographic capabilities officer

With the integration of the DriX H-9 into Shom’s fleet, Exail and Shom continue a close collaboration aimed at supporting the evolution of France’s hydrographic capabilities.