BSS has been awarded a central role in the NextGen 3 Drones Project, a national collaboration for safeguarding Denmark’s maritime domain against unauthorised drones.

Building upon the technological advancements achieved through NextGen 1 and NextGen 2, BSS will continue to play a leading role in enhancing Danish C-UAS capabilities. However, in the NextGen 3 Drones Project, BSS, MyDefence, and the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) will take on the task of transferring the land-based innovation previously developed at HCA Airport and adapting it to the naval domain.

In this context, the primary objective of NextGen 3 is to develop an interoperable system capable of countering naval drones and monitoring unauthorised maritime vehicles such as UUVs (unmanned underwater vehicles).

Modern maritime threats

Contemporary naval threats now include a broad range of drones, from small and agile FPV platforms to hybrid variants capable of operating both above and below the water's surface.

These evolving threats were recently highlighted in our article “The Rise of Autonomous Drones”, which examined the technology of a newly intercepted Shahed-136 MS00 drone featuring extended capabilities for evading detection. This emergence demonstrates the accelerating pace of drone warfare, and in this relation, naval drones can remain concealed, mimic naval mines as well as torpedoes, and activate only when a vessel is in close proximity (Reuters, 2025).

These capabilities pose a challenge for conventional defence systems, which are primarily designed to counter threats at longer ranges and presents a considerable risk in terms of a subsequently limited response time.

However, the motivation behind NextGen 3 extends beyond technological C-UAS advancement alone. The project also reflects the growing strategic importance of Danish ports, which are increasingly relied upon as logistical hubs for NATO and military operations in Europe. As a result, there is now an urgent demand for systems that can safeguard ports against UAS, UUVs, loitering munitions, and other asymmetric threats.

Innovation across academia and industry

BSS, MyDefence and SDU’s participation in NextGen3 involves developing a counter-naval drone system based on Danish technology. The solution emerging from this collaboration will be tailored for deployment on maritime vessels, port facilities, and critical infrastructure sites such as oil platforms and offshore wind farms.

Through this partnership, MyDefence and BSS have been awarded the opportunity to enhance and adapt their counter-drone and monitoring capabilities, particularly in the fields of radio frequency (RF) analysis and passive acoustic detection within the maritime sector.

Furthermore, NextGen 3 will support the technological developments by i.e. providing access to real-world testing environments and fostering knowledge exchanges between industry and academia. In this regard, SDU will contribute through the simulation of threat scenarios, the design of test drones, and novel methods for threat assessment.

About NextGen Robotics

NextGen Robotics is Denmark's leading consortium dedicated to advancing robotics, drones, and autonomous coastal shipping. Collaborating with over 65 partners, the consortium’s mission is to accelerate the development, testing, and implementation of cutting-edge, high-tech solutions in these fields. Through strategic partnerships, NextGen Robotics establishes world-class test facilities, drive innovative technologies, and expedite technological breakthroughs.

The consortium focuses on five key technological domains and within the scope of the NextGen 3 Drones Project, NextGen Robotics enables the Danish innovation of an integrated multi-sensor C-UAS system by e.g. supporting test scenarios, setting benchmarks and enabling cross-collaboration.