Kongsberg Discovery and Aker Solutions are joining forces to showcase a drone detection system in Stavanger, using Kongsberg’s Drone Detection Radar. This marks the beginning of a broader rollout of infrastructure products in the North Sea to enhance situational awareness around offshore assets and transit lanes.

Kongsberg Discovery develops subsurface, acoustic, navigation, and marine robotics systems, including AUVs and USVs. The company’s technologies are used in navigation and infrastructure protection, offering products such as Drone Detection Radar, Mobile Broadband Radio, integrated camera systems, and acoustic solutions for subsea monitoring and surveillance.

Aker Solutions brings integrated energy solutions, enabling low-carbon oil & gas and advancing renewables like offshore wind, CCS, and hydrogen.

Kongsberg Discovery and Aker Solutions plan to implement the drone detection system in phases, starting with a demonstrator at Aker Solutions at the Stavanger site to showcase to potential customers. The system will then be deployed offshore and gradually expanded with camera clusters and underwater sensors to enhance situational awareness.

According to Joachim Hovland, Head of Drones and Robotics in Aker Solutions, this cooperation sets a new standard:“This collaboration marks the beginning of a scalable solution to enhance situational awareness at critical infrastructure, offshore and onshore. By combining Kongsberg Discovery’s technology expertise with Aker Solutions’ integration and domain knowledge, we are setting a new standard for safety and security at sea.”

Later phases include installation on supply vessels, integration with onshore control centres, broader rollout across rigs and vessels, and eventual expansion to other countries. Aker Solutions will act as system integrator, with Kongsberg Discovery as sub-supplier, and the demonstrator will be available for joint customer presentations.

According to Cato Giil Eliassen, VP Infrastructure in Kongsberg Discovery, recent incidents again show the need for establishing a drone detection system in connection with critical infrastructure:

“There have been many observations of drones close to critical infrastructure in the last couple of years. Few are properly documented. This cooperation between Aker Solutions and Kongsberg Discovery will provide the end customer with proper tools to monitor, record and document illegal, as well as legal, UAV activity around installations.”