SeaGlide Autonomous Electric Vessel Delevloped for Low-Signature Maritime Operations

British engineering firm MGI Engineering has launched SeaGlide, an autonomous foiling Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) designed for high-speed, low-signature operation in defense and security missions.

The all-electric vessel is built for applications including Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), tactical logistics, sensor deployment, and communications relay in both littoral and offshore environments.

The vessel employs adjustable hydrofoils, which lift the hull out of the water via electric motors housed within the fins. This design reduces drag and extends range. The platform draws on MGI’s Formula One (F1) expertise in lightweight composites and advanced control systems to deliver agile handling, rapid transit, and low acoustic and radar signatures, even in variable sea states.

SeaGlide is capable of carrying up to 200kg of cargo and offers a 150km all-electric range at a cruise speed of 25 knots. A key feature is its compatibility with MGI’s Mosquito cargo Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), enabling an integrated air-sea asset framework. This allows airborne UAVs to deploy from ship, shore, or base, transfer payloads to or from the SeaGlide, and deliver to remote coastal or island locations, all under autonomous control. This layered architecture aligns with the increasing defense focus on networked unmanned systems that can operate across multiple domains.

The USV’s Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS)-certified autonomy suite integrates AIS, radar, and optical sensing with advanced collision-avoidance and precision-docking software. This allows for launch, transit, docking, and recovery without human intervention. The platform is currently undergoing sea trials in UK waters and is available in four-metre, five-metre, and six-metre variants.

Mike Gascoyne, CEO of MGI, said, “SeaGlide is a direct response to the operational and environmental challenges we see in modern maritime missions. By applying our F1 engineering experience in composites and control systems to the water, we’ve created a low-signature, zero-emission platform capable of performing persistent, autonomous roles that traditionally require crewed assets.”

The platform is operated from a single ruggedised ground station for mission planning, launch, and monitoring. It is designed for low-cost fleet deployment, networked operations, and rapid scaling for multi-vessel missions.

The company notes that SeaGlide offers a clear entry point for defense customers seeking scalable, low-risk autonomous maritime platforms with endurance, speed, and multi-domain interoperability built in. This aligns with recent industry trends, such as the Royal Navy’s early market engagement for a fleet of 20 uncrewed surface vessels under Project Beehive. A hybrid-electric variant is also in development to further extend range and payload capacity for heavier reconnaissance or resupply missions.

Designed, tested, and manufactured in the UK, SeaGlide is available for collaboration and licensing to international defense partners.

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