Belgian Navy deploys drone to monitor North Sea
An unmanned drone operating from the military base at Lombardsijde will conduct maritime surveillance missions over the North Sea until mid-July. "Thanks to this technology, we can act faster and more precisely in one of the most sensitive sea areas in Europe," said Nathalie Balcaen of the Agency for Maritime and Coastal Services.
The Schiebel drone provides real-time imagery of activity at sea and enables rapid monitoring of large areas, including locations that are difficult to access by other means. The Belgian Navy uses it to detect illegal fishing, unidentified vessels, marine pollution, and migrant and transmigrant movements at sea. It will also be used for search and rescue operations.
"At the moment we send out crewed assets that have to both search and rescue," Dries Boodts, director of the Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre (MRCC), told Focus & WTV. "It would be ideal if those crewed assets, once on site, only had to carry out the rescue. The drone can cover our entire operational area, right up to the British maritime border, and can handle a lot of wind."
The fuel-powered aircraft can stay airborne for up to six hours and cover 200 kilometres without refuelling, operating in rain and wind and controlled remotely from a command room. It is also equipped with a powerful zoom camera. "From three kilometres away we can clearly see a small boat and count how many people are on board," said Lieutenant Maxime of the Belgian Navy.
Belgium receives the drone on loan from the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). This is the third consecutive year it has been deployed, but the first time it is operating from Belgian soil: previously, the drone flew exclusively from France. Joint exercises with the French and Dutch Coast Guards were held during the past week.
#FlandersNewsService | © PHOTO AFP / GIUSI COSENTINO
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