Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV)
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FLANQ has launched Q-RECON, a compact, man-portable Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) engineered to meet modern naval challenges in littoral and denied environments.
Designed and manufactured in Europe, Q-RECON has been developed in response to an urgent operational requirement from a European defense customer and represents a new tier of expeditionary maritime capabilities tailored for special operations forces.
The Q-RECON is a lightweight, two-meter-long platform optimized for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), tactical interdiction, and high-risk coastal missions. With its small form factor and two-person portability, the USV provides special forces with rapid deployment capabilities in austere and contested maritime zones.
Its 30kg internal payload bay supports a diverse array of sensors including 360° night vision, multi-spectral imaging, and other advanced electro-optics, enabling discreet infrastructure inspection, beach reconnaissance, and environmental surveillance. Capable of both persistent and expendable operations, Q-RECON offers tactical flexibility across a broad spectrum of mission profiles.
Chief Technology Officer at FLANQ, Jannik Sauer, said, “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. 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 driven by dual vectored jet drives engineered in-house by FLANQ, delivering burst speeds of up to 30 knots and exceptional maneuverability in shallow or constrained waters. The vessel’s autonomous navigation suite incorporates onboard autopilot, GPS, Inertial Measurement Units (IMU), and optional dead-reckoning navigation, ensuring precise performance even in GNSS-denied environments.
At the heart of Q-RECON’s operational flexibility is FLANQ’s proprietary Q-KONTROL and Q-MIND software-hardware stack. This mission system enables real-time reconfiguration of payloads and autonomous route planning, providing operators with critical adaptability during dynamic operations.
Whether supporting amphibious landings, ISR patrols, or clandestine special forces insertions, Q-RECON offers a rapidly deployable maritime solution that aligns with evolving naval and joint force requirements.
Q-RECON will make its first public appearance at the Combined Naval Event in Farnborough, UK, where FLANQ will showcase the system at Stand F24. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the vessel’s modular capabilities and discuss its operational advantages with FLANQ’s engineering and business development teams.
