The surface drones offer flexible operating modes, including full autonomy, remote control, and manual operation, and are noted for their high speed and performance. The agreement also allows Fincantieri to integrate launch and support capabilities for these autonomous systems aboard its naval vessels for both domestic and international markets.
Training activities will form part of the collaboration, with a focus on demonstrating the platforms’ capabilities and interoperability in complex scenarios. “This partnership confirms Fincantieri’s role as a leader in innovation and a growth engine for the entire national naval industrial ecosystem,” said Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri.
Folgiero added that the Group is “able to catalyze the development of new technologies and anticipate the needs of a competitive and rapidly evolving global market such as that of surface drones.” He emphasised that partnerships with innovative startups like Defcomm are key to strengthening “strategic autonomy and technological sovereignty by enhancing the best our country has to offer.”
Federico Zarghetta, a veteran entrepreneur in naval automation and founder of Defcomm, called the agreement “the natural evolution of my ongoing pursuit of innovation, continuous improvement, and adaptation to the ever-increasing demands of the market and international competition.” He said: “Just as Fincantieri is the undisputed world leader in cruise and military ships, I am certain that Defcomm, together with Fincantieri, will be able to achieve the greatest challenge of the coming years: to bring the leadership of high-tech, high-performance marine surface drones to Italy as quickly as possible.”
Zarghetta also described Fincantieri as “the most competitive company and… Italian excellence worldwide,” adding that the companies’ combined strengths would allow them to “position ourselves at the top of the global competition in this new and promising domain.”
