Exail to Supply DriX O-16 Uncrewed Surface Vessel to Support Global Subsea Cable Installation

Exail and OMS Group have announced the acquisition of a second Exail DriX O-16 Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV), accelerating OMS Group’s deployment of autonomous survey capabilities to support the growing demand for subsea cable infrastructure worldwide.

The first DriX O-16, purchased last year and to be named USV Elite, is scheduled to be launched in mid-2026. Together, the two vessels will support subsea cable installation campaigns globally, performing seabed surveys, route verification, and monitoring for critical telecommunications cable infrastructure.

With an operational endurance of up to 30 days and a range of approximately 3,500 nautical miles, the DriX O-16 is designed to support long-duration survey missions with minimal reliance on crewed vessels. The platform also accommodates advanced survey sensors, including the Kongsberg EM124 multibeam echo sounder, enabling precise, high-resolution seabed mapping required for large-scale subsea infrastructure projects.

Ronnie Lim, Group Chief Executive Officer of OMS Group said: 

"As global demand for subsea digital infrastructure continues to grow, advanced survey capability has become increasingly important. The deployment of the DriX O-16 strengthens our ability to deliver high-quality seabed data with greater safety, lower emissions, and improved operational resilience, particularly for long-duration and remote offshore missions."

The DriX O-16 will be integrated into OMS Group’s expanding survey ecosystem, alongside the planned deployment of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and the establishment of a Remote Operation Centre (ROC) in Singapore, enabling remote supervision, real-time data validation, and coordinated multi-vehicle operations.

For Exail, the contract confirms the relevance of its DriX Uncrewed Surface Vessel portfolio in supporting high-value offshore infrastructure development.

Olivier Cervantes,  VP Maritime Autonomy Solutions, Exail said:

"The subsea cable market is expanding rapidly, driven by global connectivity needs. Our DriX O-16, equipped with an EM124 multibeam echo sounder, provides cable-laying operators with the endurance and seabed coverage required to support complex installation campaigns. The use of USVs can reduce the survey carbon footprint by up to 99%, decrease human exposure at sea, and offer greater operational flexibility while maintaining high data quality."

The DriX range of USVs, which includes the H-8, H-9 and O-16, is designed to address the evolving needs of offshore operations through scalable and flexible autonomous solutions.