OMS Group has acquired a second Exail DriX O-16 Uncrewed Surface Vessel to support its deployment of autonomous survey capabilities to support demand for subsea cable infrastructure worldwide.

This vessel will join the one that OMS acquired from Exail last year, which is scheduled to launch midway through this year.

According to Exail, the two vessels will support subsea cable installation campaigns globally, performing seabed surveys, route verification, and monitoring for critical telecommunications cable infrastructure.

In September 2024, OMS previously detailed plans to invest $300 million in its global cable systems and terrestrial infrastructure.

The vessels have an operational endurance of up to 30 days and a range of approximately 3,500 nautical miles. The DriX O-16 is designed to support long-duration survey missions with minimal reliance on crewed vessels.

OMS notes that the platform also accommodates advanced survey sensors, including the Kongsberg EM124 multibeam echo sounder, enabling precise, high-resolution seabed mapping required for large-scale subsea infrastructure projects.

The DriX O-16 will be integrated into OMS Group’s expanding survey ecosystem, alongside the planned deployment of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and the establishment of a Remote Operation Centre (ROC) in Singapore, which will allow remote supervision, real-time data validation, and coordinated multi-vehicle operations.

“As global demand for subsea digital infrastructure continues to grow, advanced survey capability has become increasingly important," said Ronnie Lim, Group chief executive officer of OMS Group.

"The deployment of the DriX O-16 strengthens our ability to deliver high-quality seabed data with greater safety, lower emissions, and improved operational resilience, particularly for long-duration and remote offshore missions."

Founded in 1983, OMS Group is based in Selangor, Malaysia, and has five currently active cable vessels with four new vessels under construction.