The ELO research project is turning drones into smart helpers at sea. Supported by AI, they provide emergency services with a real-time picture during maritime incidents – but only greater autonomy will unlock their full potential.

Germany’s coasts are more than just holiday destinations: here, wind farms, pipelines, and busy shipping routes converge – a hub of critical infrastructure. But these areas are also vulnerable. The demand for protection is growing: accidents, maritime emergencies, and environmental risks are increasing, as is the threat of sabotage. In all cases, one thing matters most – fast detection and response. Yet by the time reconnaissance aircraft take off and reliable information reaches the operations center, valuable time may already be lost. This is where project ELO – Echtzeitlagebild Offshore (English: Real-Time Offshore Situational Picture) comes in.

The aim is to develop an intelligent system that can reach maritime emergencies as quickly as possible, monitor them in real time, and support the coordination of response teams. At the heart of the concept are drones that collect live data and transmit it instantly to emergency services. This provides a rapid situational picture that supports decision-making and strengthens maritime safety.

ELO’s key questions

To achieve this, the project is tackling some central questions:

• How can offshore drone missions be planned and carried out quickly and effectively?
• How can large volumes of live data from incidents be processed and transmitted reliably in real time?
• How can this information be integrated into the existing systems of emergency services?
• How can drones be automatically inspected, serviced, and prepared for the next mission?

The untapped potential of drones

Drone operations are far more cost-efficient than helicopter or aircraft missions, they’re flexible, and they can respond much faster. But their potential is still underused: while drones can already fly autonomously to their mission site, pilots remain tied to the launch location due to manual pre-flight preparations. As a result, the drones’ full mobility is not yet being exploited. After a remote-controlled mission, they also need to be manually prepared for the next flight.

Autonomous maintenance

This is where the ZAL GmbH drone team comes in. Existing drone-in-a-box systems already enable autonomous takeoffs and landings, but they lack automated maintenance functions. The ZAL team is developing an integrated system: after landing, the drone independently moves to a maintenance container, where a robotic arm docks and recharges it. Cameras use AI image recognition to check its condition, a cleaning system removes salt deposits, and once serviced, the drone is immediately ready for the next mission.

Project launch in Hamburg

In summer 2025, ELO was officially launched with a kick-off at the ZAL TechCenter. The project is funded by the Feder Ministry for Econimoc Affairs and Energy (BMWE). The goal: fully autonomous drone operations that can detect and tackle maritime incidents and environmental hazards along the coast more quickly and efficiently.

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Photo:

• Title image: Operation of a UAS ORKA from the deck of the multipurpose vessel (Fraunhofer IFAM, Tim Strohbach)

• Image 1: Aerial view of a UAS during an exercise of the Central Command for Maritime Emergencies with a multipurpose vessel (CiS GmbH)

• Image 2: Visualization of the automated maintenance system (ZAL GmbH)