2026 05 21

Belgian Navy: North Sea surveillance with drones from Lombardsijde

LOMBARDSIJDE – The Schiebel Camcopter S-100 drone will henceforth support maritime security in the North Sea from the base in Lombardsijde. The drone, which previously operated from France, was presented on Tuesday, May 19, during an international conference on Multipurpose Maritime Operations (MMO), attended by various European coast guard services.
Faster response to pollution and crises
The unmanned aircraft is deployed for detecting maritime pollution, fishery control, combating illegal immigration, and spotting suspicious vessels, including the Russian 'shadow fleet'. The drone is equipped with an advanced high-resolution camera that captures razor-sharp images of vessels from more than a kilometer away. In the event of environmental offenses, this allows for the immediate collection of evidence that is directly usable by the authorities.
Real-time data-sharing
A key element of the project is cross-border coordination. The live footage is shared directly via a secure portal with the Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Ostend and the Maritime Information Crossroads (MIK) in Zeebrugge. French authorities are also integrated into the system, enabling an immediate and coordinated response to incidents or human smuggling.

Info and images: The Belgian Navy Jorn Urbain, Defensie - La Défense - Belgian Defence FOD Mobiliteit en Vervoer.
Source: Aviation Day