Pecohub Portugal is on track to become the first European Union member state to operate a drone carrier ship, enabling it to transport unmanned vehicles—both aerial and aquatic—by sea for military and scientific missions.
This Iberian nation will leverage two strategic advantages to achieve this status. According to Euronews, the first is its expertise and advanced knowledge in drone technology, and the second is its extensive maritime tradition as the Union’s largest coastal nation, with a maritime area exceeding 1.72 million square kilometers.
The D. João II will serve as a Portuguese Republic Ship (NRP) for the Navy, functioning as a Multifunctional Naval Platform. Measuring 107.6 meters in length with a 94 x 11 meter flight deck, it will be able to navigate at a speed of 15.5 knots, which is approximately 30 kilometers per hour.
Regarding capacity, the vessel can accommodate up to 18 light military vehicles, 18 containers, and 10 fast boats. In terms of personnel, it can accommodate up to 200 personnel during emergencies, but under normal circumstances, it will house 48 military personnel and 42 specialists, including scientists and operators.
The primary assets deployed from this large vessel will be drones, particularly aerial ones, intended primarily for maritime surveillance, environmental monitoring, oceanographic data collection, and support for naval communications.
Simultaneously, unmanned underwater drones will also operate from the D. João II, primarily for tasks such as seabed inspection, detection, and mapping. Among these will be the ROV Luso, a remotely operated vehicle capable of descending to depths of 6,000 meters.
