Danish project to develop drone for protecting critical underwater infrastructure

August 6, 2025, by Nadja Skopljak

A new Danish research and innovation project, led by Teledyne RESON, is looking to develop a drone that can capture and immobilize unwanted underwater vehicles, thereby protecting critical underwater infrastructure such as pipelines, communication cables, and offshore wind farms.

The project named U-SHIELD brings together Teledyne RESON, Aalborg University, the Technical University of Denmark, the University of Southern Denmark, and Copenhagen Subsea.

“By combining advanced technology and collaboration between leading experts, we can create a solution that not only protects our resources but also promotes the safety and stability of our society,” said Tim Lysholt Jensen, VP Products & Technology at Teledyne RESON.

The Innovation Fund Denmark is investing DKK 26 million (almost €3.5 million) in the project through its Grand Solutions program.

“The green transition makes us more dependent on complex energy systems beneath the sea’s surface, and therefore we must also be proactive in protecting them,” said Innovation Fund’s Director Cecilie Brøckner.

The U-SHIELD project contributes to developing technology that can make our society more resilient to threats against the systems we all deeply depend on – from energy supply to communication. It holds exciting potential for both Denmark and Europe, and we look forward to following the project.”