At DALO Industry Days in Denmark, the Copenhagen Orca sea drone was unveiled before a broad international audience. Developed in less than nine months, the new unmanned surface vessel (USV) has already drawn attention for its combination of speed, range, and autonomy. Trondheim-based Maritime Robotics has played a key role in the development.

The Orca is designed for surveillance of vast maritime areas and protection of critical infrastructure both above and below the waterline.

The vessel measures 13 meters in length, weighs just over five tons, and offers a payload capacity of 825 kilograms. With a top speed exceeding 40 knots, a range of 1,400 nautical miles (approx. 2,593 km) at low speed, and endurance of up to six weeks, it represents a significant technological leap in maritime security. Its wave-piercing hull ensures high stability even in demanding seas.

Equipped with advanced sensors, communication systems, and cloud- and AI-based real-time data processing, the platform is jam-resistant and scalable for serial production. Built at an existing offshore wind facility in Denmark, the vessel can be delivered rapidly and in larger numbers.

Photo: Copenhagen Group

Norwegian autonomy at the heart of Orca

Trondheim-based Maritime Robotics has been central to the project, delivering the “brain” that enables the Copenhagen Orca to operate independently, navigate challenging waters, and carry out missions without human intervention. For Maritime Robotics, the contribution is not only about enabling a single drone but about building a reliable, intelligent platform capable of safeguarding critical infrastructure and coastlines efficiently and sustainably.

Maritime Robotics CEO Vegard Evjen Hovstein emphasizes that the project demonstrates how collaboration between technology-driven companies provides strategic advantages in rapidly changing security environments:

“This collaboration is proof that specialized, technology-intensive companies can create significant strategic advantages when working together. It’s about more than individual products. It’s about building an ecosystem of expertise that can quickly adapt to today’s security challenges,” Hovstein says.

Vegard Hovstein, CEO i Maritime Robotics. Photo: Berre

Nordic cooperation in the lead

The Orca is developed by Copenhagen Group in close cooperation with partners across the Nordics and internationally. The collaboration illustrates how a robust technological community can deliver advanced defense capabilities in record time. For Nordsec and Norwegian defense suppliers, the launch showcases how Nordic cooperation and Norwegian technology help maintain the region’s leading position in maritime autonomy and security.

The development of the Orca is the result of close cooperation between Copenhagen Global and partners such as Maritime Robotics, Teledyne RESON, Teledyne FLIR, Radionor Communications, Microsoft, and Atreides. Following successful sea trials, the production line is already up and running.

Copenhagen Global is also planning several additional vessel classes. The Copenhagen Sealeopard, another 13-meter platform, is set to launch later in 2025, followed by the 21-meter ocean-going Copenhagen Seawolf in 2026. Maritime Robotics will play a key role in these projects as well.

Maritime Robotics is a member of both the Nordsec Defence and Security Cluster and the Ocean Autonomy Cluster, and also part of the FI Ocean Space Incubator. You can meet the company at the Defence Conference later this autumn.

Video from the unveiling