These Underwater Drone Gliders May One Day Help Protect Europe's Seas

Drones are quickly becoming a mainstay in naval warfare, which is perhaps best exhibited by use of sea drones to sink Russian ships in the Black Sea without a conventional navy. Drones have morphed into a for countries looking to level the battlefield against large naval . One trend spurring this change above and below the surface is deploying artificial intelligence to enhance military drone capabilities, making the technology more and easier to deploy. This increase in capability has made an interesting vector for European lawmakers looking to ramp up defense amidst waning American support and an increasingly aggressive . Some proponents have even suggested that Europe build a "of 100,000-plus aerial and naval drones to ward off potential attacks.

One company looking to capitalize on this increased fervor is the German startup , which works to bring advanced AI to the battlefield. Of particular note is the SG-1 , an underwater autonomous drone powered by Helsing's proprietary AI model, , to monitor and attack subsurface threats. in May 2025, the glider is one of a systems that the German company hopes to roll out in the coming years. Valued at , with investors like Spotify co-founder , Helsing looks to play a major role in Europe's upcoming in military . The startup is, however, just one of the countless swarming toward Europe to capitalize on a reinvigorated defense forced to scale its size and . 

The S is a glider Helsing hopes will "redefine subsurface surveillance." At 6 feet 5 inches long and just over 130 pounds, the glider can operate for up to three months at up to 2 knots per hour. An autonomous vehicle, Helsing's SG-1, is powered by the company's underwater surveillance AI, Lura. Unlike the large language models most are familiar with, Lura is described by Helsing as a large acoustic model, meaning it is trained to process and recognize acoustic signatures through sound data. Through Lura, the glider classifies and locates unique sound patterns from ships and submarines. It can detect acoustic sound signatures 10 times quieter than its competitors and processes signatures 40 times faster than human . Furthermore, users can deploy the SG-1 in patrol swarms or at posts along the , with a single sea- or land-based operator monitoring over a hundred gliders at . The gliders, which Helsing compares to a satellite constellation, are capable of operating at various sea depths and use mobile sensors to 'digitize' and analyze large bodies of water. Helsing aims to deploy its SG-1 by the end of .

Currently, the gliders are in a and development stage, operating from Helsing's newly established factory in Plymouth, United Kingdom. To scale , the company with Ocean Infinity, Blue Ocean Marine Tech Systems, and QinetiQ to everything from its maritime robotics to autonomous data collection and integration processes. Although no buyers have been , Helsing states that several navies are in the SG-1.

The SG-1 glider is only one of Helsing's several AI-powered defense systems. Ukraine has ordered 10,000 drones from the German firm, including of its . As a swarm- multi-purpose X-wing precision munition drone, the HX-2 can engage military targets up to 60 miles from its operator. It
uses an onboard AI system to ward off electronic defense  enabling it to strike targets even when taken offline. Other AI-powered Helsing products include , a software system meant to combat anti-aircraft radar, and , an AI agent enabling unmanned aerial combat.

Helsing hopes that this suite of AI solutions can capitalize on Europe's  willingness to increase military In March 2025, the European Commission presented its , which hopes to mobilize over €800 billion in military spending, including in defense loans for its members. This accelerates Europe's half-decade rearmament push, which has seen defense spending rise by 30% since . Helsing's home country, Germany, is at the forefront of this spending push, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz announcing Berlin would increase its defense spending to 3.5% of its GDP by 2029, almost tripling its yearly spending to between and .

Helsing believes it is in a position to capitalize on this moment due to its position at the junction of two key defense trends: . But the company will see stiff competition in this rapidly developing . Major AI companies like and  for example, have announced partnerships with military contractors and , respectively. Several German companies will look to enter the fray, as the government looks to speed up  and open competition to new firms. Whether the SG-1 Fathom will elevate Helsing above the competition may prove the defining question of its rapid through the European defense landscape.