OMS Confirms Ongoing Sea Acceptance Tests for USV Elite

OMS Group (OMS) provided an update on the ongoing Sea Acceptance Tests (SAT) for USV Elite, its long range DriX O-16 Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV), currently being conducted off the South of France. The SAT program is demonstrating seakeeping characteristics and strong early results on deepwater multibeam echosounder performance, supporting OMS’s strategy to scale long-range uncrewed survey capabilities globally.

The SAT campaign is focused on validating vessel handling, stability, systems integration, operational controls and survey performance under representative offshore conditions. Early observations confirm that USV Elite delivers stable line keeping and platform behaviour suitable for continuous offshore survey operations over extended missions.

A key component of the program is the verification of the Kongsberg EM124 deepwater multibeam echosounder suite. Initial results demonstrate robust full-swath bathymetric acquisition capability aligned with the requirements of full ocean-depth cable route survey operations. The programme also continues to validate end-to-end integration between vessel systems and survey payloads, supporting OMS’s operating model for reliable deepwater data acquisition.

In parallel, OMS highlighted the sustainability advantages of uncrewed offshore operations. Compared with conventional crewed survey vessels, USVs typically require lower fuel consumption, supporting reducing carbon emissions and a lower the offshore footprint, while maintaining offshore-grade survey performance.

OMS confirmed that SAT results will support final operational procedures and deployment planning ahead of regional mobilization in early Q4 2026.