FLANQ, the German-based maritime defence solutions provider, has today launched Q-RECON, its first European designed and built Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) for operations in the littoral domain.
Developed in response to an urgent operational requirement from a European customer, Q-RECON is a lightweight, two-metre long, two-man portable USV purpose-built for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and tactical interdiction.
A 30 kg internal payload bay supports a range of sensors, including 360°-night vision and multi-spectral cameras, ideal for covert monitoring, infrastructure inspections and beach landing surveys. Q-RECON delivers reliable performance and adaptability across a wide range naval mission scenarios, including single-use, making it a valuable asset for naval special forces.
Powered by dual FLANQ-designed vectored jet drives, Q-RECON achieves agile manoeuvrability and burst speeds of up to 30 knots. Its navigational suite includes onboard autopilot, GPS, IMU, and optional dead-reckoning capability for operations in GNSS-denied environments.
At the core of its mission versatility is FLANQ’s proprietary Q-KONTROL and Q-MIND hardware and software stack, enabling simplified, in-theatre payload reconfiguration and autonomous route planning—critical for real-time adaptation during dynamic operations.
“Q-RECON has gone from concept to in-water testing in around 120 days – testimony to the speed of innovation in the European defence sector at the demand for affordable maritime autonomous systems,” said Chief Technology Officer at FLANQ, Jannik Sauer. “Our customer came to us with a very specific feature list, including price and portability and 100% European content. Q-RECON is our response to those challenges.”
Q-RECON is making its industry debut at the Combined Naval Event in Farnborough, UK this week, where it will be on display on FLANQ’s stand, F24.
For more information on Q-RECON, click here
Burnaby, BC, Canada / Rostock, Germany — [19th May, 2025] Cellula Robotics Limited has entered into a sales and representation agreement with Subsea Europe Services GmbH (SES) and its defence division, FLANQ. This strategic partnership will expand the market presence of Cellula’s advanced autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) technologies across Northern Europe.
Under the agreement, SES will promote and represent Cellula’s full AUV portfolio—including the Envoy, Porter, and Guardian AUVs, the Subsea Warden Hovering AUV for ship signature management, and the Subsea Sentinel system for passive acoustic monitoring—in both commercial and scientific sectors. SES will focus on customers in academic research, offshore survey, and geophysical industries, while FLANQ will engage with defence, maritime security, and government clients.
This new partnership will support customers in Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland, offering local expertise and direct access to Cellula’s underwater platforms and sensors.
Richard Mills, Chief Commercial Officer at Cellula Robotics (pictured right) said: “We have worked with SES and FLANQ co-founders, Sören Themann and Daniel Esser, for many years now. We’ve watched Subsea Europe’s strong, year-on-year growth and been impressed with their successful launch of FLANQ in 2024. Their laser focus on the customer’s mission and exceptional support and service, made today’s announcement a natural step. We have full confidence in their team’s professionalism and commitment to delivering for our organisation.”
Daniel Esser, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Subsea Services Europe and FLANQ (pictured left) added: “We’re excited to join forces with Cellula Robotics in Europe. They have an immensely impressive product portfolio – a portfolio which aligns perfectly with the challenges Europe is facing now across the maritime domain. Everything from trading challenges to protecting critical undersea infrastructure and strengthening sovereign defence capability.
As Richard has mentioned, Sören and myself know the Cellula leadership team very well, and we know they understand, respect and fully support their channel partners in the market. We know this team will excel together, by focusing on delivering reliable, solutions that deliver operational and domain advantage to our clients in energy, science and defence.”
The announcement comes in the same week as the Combined Naval Event in Farnborough, UK is taking place where both companies are exhibiting. Cellua Robotics can be found on Stand D40, and FLANQ on Stand F24.
In response to Europe’s growing security challenges in the maritime domain, FLANQ has launched as a new provider of autonomous defence products. The company offers a comprehensive suite of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) uncrewed surface vessels, underwater drones, and sensor payloads, powered by FLANQ’s proprietary artificial intelligence software and hardware stack. Headquartered in northern Germany, FLANQ is committed to put the latest technological progress at the heart of a safe, strong and united continent.
Building on decades of combined team experience in developing technology for offshore energy and ocean science, FLANQ specialises in integrating cutting-edge AI capabilities with proven COTS maritime hardware. These ready-to-deploy, surface and underwater platforms provide naval forces with enhanced situational awareness and autonomous mission capabilities to counter evolving maritime threats, all backed by through-life support services.
“FLANQ, supported by our trusted industry partners, is resolutely focused on strengthening Europe’s maritime security landscape,” said Sören Themann, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of FLANQ. “National sovereignty across the region is being tested on an unprecedented level by shadow fleets conducting hybrid warfare. Our AI-powered uncrewed systems provide navies with the rapid response capabilities needed to safeguard critical marine infrastructure above and below the surface, expansive coastlines, and essential trade routes. FLANQ’s solutions are more than drawing board concepts; they are commercially available and ready for immediate deployment.”
Innovation at the core
FLANQ’s COTS solutions help put mission-winning technology into the hands of naval forces – at pace, on time and on budget, offering:
• Complete marine intelligence: Edge data processing for superior real-time situational awareness.
• Platforms: Field-proven uncrewed surface and subsurface vessels built for endurance, reliability and interoperability with NATO systems.
• Payloads: Dual-use detection and monitoring technologies to sense, classify and monitor potential surface and underwater threats.
• Logistics and support: Flexible ownership models, customer-shaped support and infield logistics ensuring naval platforms and sensors stay mission-ready, always.
“FLANQ’s commitment to European security is at the heart of our new mission,” said Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Daniel Esser. “Since 2019, our focus has been on marine autonomy for the commercial sector delivering safe, smart and sustainable surveys. Today, with launch of FLANQ, we’re applying our track record, our capability, our resources to support the defence of Europe. In fact we’ve already begun to deliver solutions to key defence customers that meet the highest standards of quality, reliability, and operational effectiveness, while ensuring alignment with strategic naval autonomy and interoperability goals.”
