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Diodon extends drone missions at sea with Reef
Nearly ten years after its creation, Diodon is expanding its range beyond its waterproof and inflatable mini-drones. With Reef, a UAV can be launched, retrieved and maintained from a manned vessel or a USV, thereby extending surveillance missions at sea.
Drone and DIODON REEF
© DIODON Drone Technology
The company, which specialises in waterproof and inflatable mini-UAVs, is diversifying: it now offers a station, called Reef, for any onboard UAV, whether on a manned vessel or a USV. Diodon is targeting all USV manufacturers and users in order to expand its customer base.
Diodon has primarily focused on exports, supplying government forces in Northern Europe – such as the Netherlands, a long-standing client since 2018 – and in Asia, led by Singapore. The idea for Reef originated during NATO’s Task Force X exercise in the Baltic Sea in 2025. Several stakeholders from the countries present expressed interest in a dedicated UAV station. Shipyards are also seeking this type of solution.
Diodon seized the opportunity and is now presenting the result: the Reef station is designed to be mounted on any deck, whether on a ship or a USV. The deployment of UAVs is automated. The compact station can be adapted to the vessel “in terms of power supply and autonomous operation, enabling the launch of the UAV from a platform at sea. Of course, recovery is one of the major technological challenges, especially when the sea is rough,” explains Antoine Tournet, CEO and co-founder of Diodon, “and it is one of our areas of expertise – combined with the drone’s robustness, which allows it to make a hard landing, and the algorithms used to control the final approach phases.”
Automatic rinsing and lubrication
Reef interacts with data from the vessel to facilitate landing, despite the motion of the sea. Furthermore, Diodon has designed equipment capable of remaining at sea for several weeks: “In addition to its seaworthiness, Reef features an automatic rinsing and lubrication system for the UAV. Once reconditioned, the vehicle is ready to set off on another surveillance mission,” Antoine Tournet declares. The station carries between 5 and 10 litres of fresh water for rinsing, thereby limiting corrosion of the UAV.
The company’s mini-UAVs are equipped with optical and infrared sensors and operate day and night, primarily for verification purposes. They offer autonomy of around 40 minutes. However, this new system allows the operator to leave the UAV at sea for an extended period. If sea conditions are too rough for a soft landing, the fully watertight Diodon UAVs land on the surface and float there for as long as necessary.
The UAV and its station weigh around 60kg. Another new feature is the ability to interface Reef with the USV’s command system: it then becomes a sensor in its own right. This offers a dual benefit for the end user.
- Aude Leroy
