Helsing Unveils AI-Powered Underwater Drone Network for Europe

Helsing, a European defense technology firm, has developed an AI-powered underwater surveillance system combining the Lura software platform and the autonomous SG-1 Fathom gliders. These gliders, capable of patrolling underwater for up to three months, create a scalable, mobile sensor network that detects faint acoustic signatures of ships and submarines with greater sensitivity and speed than traditional methods, enabling near real-time threat reporting. The Lura AI platform uses a large acoustic model to classify and localize underwater sounds, distinguishing even between vessels of the same class, and operates up to 40 times faster than human analysts. The system is designed for deployment in strategic maritime regions such as the North Sea and Baltic Sea, offering a cost-effective alternative to crewed anti-submarine patrols. Helsing emphasizes the strategic importance of this technology for deterring adversaries and protecting critical underwater infrastructure amid rising geopolitical tensions and recent underwater threats like the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage. The company demonstrated the technology at the UK’s Portsmouth Naval Base and aims to deploy it soon, aligning with NATO's efforts to enhance maritime security using AI-based tools.