France's Equinox 930 Naval Drone Expands Offshore Surveillance and Mine Countermeasure Options.

French manufacturer Zodiac Milpro has developed its first unmanned surface vessel, the Equinox 930, a 9.3-meter naval drone designed to conduct surveillance, reconnaissance, and mine countermeasure missions in coastal and offshore waters. Presented at Euronaval 2026 in Paris, the new platform combines a range exceeding 600 nautical miles with the ability to navigate in demanding sea conditions, allowing naval forces to consider unmanned operations farther from shore.

The Equinox 930 unmanned surface vessel was displayed by French manufacturer Zodiac Milpro at Euronaval 2026 in Paris. The 9.3-meter naval drone is designed for offshore surveillance, reconnaissance, and mine-countermeasure missions, with a range exceeding 600 nautical miles. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The Equinox 930 marks a new direction for Zodiac Milpro, a company traditionally associated with inflatable and rigid-hulled boats used by military and security forces. Its equipment is already employed by numerous naval units, including French naval commandos, while its production facilities in Spain manufacture both small craft and larger military boats. The move into unmanned systems builds on this experience, particularly in the construction of fast vessels intended to operate in difficult maritime environments.

Zodiac Milpro has already gained experience supplying platforms for unmanned naval operations. Under the French DANAE program led by SeaOwl, the company provided the SRA 750 platform, derived from an existing rigid-hulled inflatable boat. The Equinox 930 marks a different step, with a vessel specifically designed for unmanned missions, incorporating its own control architecture and space for equipment selected by future operators.

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A High-Speed Naval Drone Designed to Operate Farther Offshore

At 9.3 meters long and weighing approximately 5.5 tonnes, the Equinox 930 can carry more than 800 kilograms of mission equipment. Its maximum speed exceeds 40 knots, while its advertised range surpasses 600 nautical miles. The hull is manufactured from aluminum alloy, with particular attention given to structural resistance, redundancy and the management of the vessel's signatures.

One of its main characteristics is its ability to operate in open waters rather than being restricted to sheltered maritime areas. Zodiac Milpro has designed the craft to maintain high speeds in challenging sea states, an important consideration for missions conducted beyond the coastline. Smaller unmanned vessels can face limitations when waves and weather conditions deteriorate, particularly when carrying sensitive surveillance equipment. The Equinox 930 is intended to address part of this requirement through its hull design and seakeeping characteristics, although no precise operational sea-state limit has been disclosed.

Its range also opens possibilities for missions conducted around offshore installations, shipping routes and maritime approaches. A naval unit could send the vessel to monitor an area without deploying a crewed patrol boat for the entire duration of the mission. The advertised 600-nautical-mile figure does not, however, establish how long the craft can remain on station at high speed, as fuel consumption and the payload configuration will influence its actual endurance.

Modular Architecture for Surveillance and Underwater Missions

The Equinox 930 operates through Zodiac Milpro's Vessel Control System, which allows remote operators to supervise the craft, program navigation waypoints and monitor its onboard functions. The system is deliberately separated from the autonomy software, enabling customers to integrate different navigation solutions depending on their requirements.

This architecture also leaves room for the integration of mission equipment supplied by other manufacturers. The vessel includes a configurable mission bay and a modular central moonpool, allowing equipment to be installed or deployed through the hull. Such an arrangement is particularly relevant for underwater inspection and mine countermeasure missions, where sensors or specialized systems must operate below the surface.

For surface surveillance, the craft can carry electro-optical equipment providing 360-degree coverage. Combined with remote navigation and the ability to accommodate different sensor packages, this allows the same platform to be configured for reconnaissance, maritime security or the protection of sensitive installations. The capabilities available in each configuration will depend on the equipment integrated rather than on the vessel alone.

Deployment From Ships and Dispersed Naval Facilities

Zodiac Milpro has also addressed the practical constraints of transporting and operating an unmanned vessel. The Equinox 930 can be lifted using one or four attachment points and is designed for automatic launch and recovery by davit. Its dimensions permit road transportation or shipment inside a standard 40-foot ISO container, while deployment from ships or by air is also envisaged.

These arrangements could allow naval forces to transfer the craft between operating areas without requiring permanent infrastructure. A warship equipped to launch and recover the vessel could employ it for reconnaissance or underwater inspection while remaining outside the immediate area of interest. The ability to transport it by container would also facilitate deployment to overseas bases or temporary naval facilities.

The operational interest of the Equinox 930 lies primarily in combining offshore navigation, extended range and interchangeable mission equipment on a relatively compact platform. Naval forces could employ it to survey maritime approaches, inspect underwater areas or monitor offshore infrastructure while limiting the exposure of personnel. The use of unmanned surface vessels in the Black Sea has already demonstrated the changing role of such platforms in naval warfare, although the Equinox 930 is intended for a different range of missions. Its future effectiveness will depend on the sensors and autonomy systems selected, as well as the reliability of communications during operations far from shore.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests include security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.

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