CiS, a German autonomous systems company, has presented a new hangar capable of launching, recovering and recharging drones fully automatically from vessels in motion.
The system, called ORKA Dock, was unveiled during the Combined Naval Event in the United Kingdom.
According to the company, the ORKA Dock is the first system of its kind capable of operating without human intervention even while the ship is moving and affected by wave motion. The equipment was designed to operate with ships, unmanned vessels, ground vehicles and expeditionary bases.
The system has already been tested during the international SeaSEC 2026 exercise, held in April in the German city of Rostock. During the tests, the ORKA drone operated from the unmanned vessel Q-RECON 24, developed by the company FLANQ. During the exercise, the drone was able to launch and return to the hangar automatically while the vessel was sailing at speeds of up to 15 knots.
According to CiS, the ORKA drone was developed for surveillance and reconnaissance missions over land and sea. The aircraft has an endurance of up to 75 minutes and can carry payloads of up to five kilograms. The hangar also includes a fast-charging system, emergency battery and the option of tethered operation for extended missions.
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Also according to the company, the system can initiate takeoff in less than 30 seconds, enabling rapid response in maritime surveillance, offshore infrastructure protection and port security scenarios.
“Achieving fully autonomous launch and recovery from a moving USV in a live exercise environment — without any operator intervention — is something that has never been done before. We believe it will be a world first,” said Tom Kaufman, CEO of CiS.
The project is part of Europe’s growing focus on autonomous systems for naval operations and maritime defense. In recent years, European countries have accelerated investments in drones, artificial intelligence and unmanned platforms for patrol and reconnaissance missions.
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Source and images: CiS. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
