08. January 2026

Shom Boosts Maritime Data Collection With Cutting-Edge Usv Technology

Shom Strengthens Its Hydrographic Capabilities with Exail’s DriX H-9 USV

The French hydrographic and oceanographic service (Shom) has selected Exail’s DriX H-9 Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) to enhance its hydrographic capabilities. This acquisition is part of Shom’s efforts to provide accurate and reliable maritime data to civil and military users across various regions.

Exail’s DriX H-9 USV is a state-of-the-art uncrewed surface system designed to offer unparalleled endurance, autonomy, and operational flexibility. With an autonomy of up to 20 days, depending on the payload, the DriX H-9 can be deployed from either shore or Shom’s hydrographic vessel, Beautemps-Beaupré. This flexibility allows for seamless integration into existing survey operations, enabling Shom to maximize its operational efficiency.

The selection of Exail’s DriX H-9 USV is a testament to the success of Shom’s previous partnership with the company. The recent delivery and operational deployment of the DriX H-8, ordered in December 2024, have demonstrated the value of uncrewed surface systems for hydrographic surveys. Building on this experience, the new DriX H-9 will further enhance survey operations, offering increased endurance, greater autonomy, and enhanced operational flexibility.

Shom’s objective is to deliver certified, high-quality maritime data more rapidly in response to increasing civil and military needs across expanding areas of interest. The acquisition of Exail’s DriX H-9 USV supports this goal by leveraging uncrewed technologies to accelerate data acquisition cycles, extend survey coverage, and ensure the timely availability of reliable information essential for various applications, including safety of navigation, environmental monitoring, coastal management, and maritime planning.

The integration of the DriX H-9 into Shom’s fleet is expected to have a significant impact on the organization’s operational capabilities. With its extended endurance and autonomy, the DriX H-9 will be able to cover larger areas more efficiently, reducing the need for multiple deployments and minimizing the time spent on survey operations. This, in turn, will enable Shom to provide timely and accurate data to users, supporting decision-making across various sectors.

Pierre-Louis Roudaut, France Sales Manager at Exail, stated that the 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, Exail is contributing to more efficient collection of maritime data, helping decision-makers address increasingly complex civil and military challenges.

Denis Creach, Shom’s Transformation hydro-oceanographic capabilities officer, emphasized that the DriX-H9 will offer strong complementarity with Shom’s other data acquisition assets, in particular with Marlin, its DriX H-8. With this combination, Shom can deploy the DriX H-9 directly from the Brest naval base, reaching survey areas in the English Channel or the Atlantic Ocean.

The experience gained by Shom’s teams through Marlin, as well as shared infrastructures, will also benefit the integration of the DriX H-9. This collaboration highlights Exail and Shom’s close partnership aimed at supporting the evolution of France’s hydrographic capabilities.

Exail’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge uncrewed surface systems has been recognized by Shom, which is now leveraging these technologies to enhance its hydrographic capabilities. By doing so, Exail is contributing to more efficient collection of maritime data, helping decision-makers address increasingly complex civil and military challenges.

The partnership between Exail and Shom will be instrumental in shaping France’s hydrographic future, delivering innovative solutions that address complex challenges and support decision-making across various sectors. With the DriX H-9 USV leading the way, these organizations are poised to make a lasting impact on the industry, driving innovation and advancing maritime capabilities.

The selection of Exail’s DriX H-9 USV by Shom reflects the organization’s commitment to innovation and its desire to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to hydrographic capabilities. By leveraging uncrewed technologies, Shom is poised to accelerate data acquisition cycles, extend survey coverage, and ensure timely availability of reliable information essential for various applications.

Exail’s DriX H-9 USV offers extended endurance and autonomy, enabling Shom to cover larger areas more efficiently, reduce the need for multiple deployments, and minimize time spent on survey operations. This will enable Shom to provide timely and accurate data to users, supporting decision-making across various sectors.

The acquisition of Exail’s DriX H-9 USV by Shom marks a significant milestone in the development of maritime data collection capabilities. By leveraging uncrewed technologies, Shom is poised to accelerate data acquisition cycles, extend survey coverage, and ensure timely availability of reliable information essential for various applications.

Exail’s DriX H-9 USV is a testament to the power of innovation in addressing complex challenges in the maritime industry. By leveraging uncrewed technologies, organizations like Shom are poised to make a lasting impact on the industry, driving innovation and advancing maritime capabilities.

The integration of the DriX H-9 into Shom’s fleet will have a lasting impact on the organization’s operational capabilities, supporting decision-making across various sectors. With the DriX H-9 USV leading the way, Exail and Shom are poised to make a lasting impact on the industry, driving innovation and advancing maritime capabilities.

In a rapidly changing maritime landscape, organizations like Shom are turning to innovative solutions to address complex challenges. Exail’s DriX H-9 USV is at the forefront of this effort, delivering cutting-edge uncrewed surface systems that support decision-making across civil and military sectors.