Anyone who has been out and about in Croatia will be familiar with the scene: a yacht in the bay far too close to the beach, a planing craft cutting a wake too close to the coast, an anchor dropping onto sensitive seabed. From 2025, the rules in the area will be significantly stricter. For boats under 15 metres, a minimum distance of 50 metres must be maintained along the coast; for motorboats, personal watercraft and jet skis travelling at high speed, the minimum distance is generally 300 metres. Anchoring in designated natural bathing areas is also subject to stricter regulations. The New Croatian regulation and its implications for charter crews But it also shows that rules alone do not change behaviour on the water.
This is where the ‘Faust V’ project comes in. The autonomous surface vessel is being developed by Innovamare Technologies It was developed in Croatia and is designed to identify, document and report any anomalies to the relevant authorities.
What the drone boat from Croatia can do
According to the developers, “Faust V” is a 2.1-metre-long, electrically powered platform equipped with AI-assisted analysis, lidar, sonar and hydroacoustic sensors. The vessel is designed to collect data in real time and transmit it via mobile networks, 5G or Starlink. Its intended tasks range from mapping the seabed to environmental monitoring and coastal surveillance. For practical surveillance in the Adriatic Sea, three functions are particularly relevant:
“Faust V” is primarily intended to complement the work of the water police, port authorities and environmental monitoring bodies. Small autonomous vehicles can avoid long journeys and enable emergency services to focus on situations that actually require attention. Similar surveillance concepts are also being used in larger Water drones to document suspicious manoeuvres in Denmark pursued.
The stage of development of the prototype
On 18 September 2026, the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Rijeka reported that that “Faust V” was intended for monitoring maritime traffic, detecting unauthorised anchoring and excessive speeds, scanning the seabed and collecting surface litter. In January 2026, “Faust V”, together with an underwater ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle), was deployed to monitor water quality at six locations in the municipality of Sali in Zadar County. The water samples were analysed at the laboratory of the Ruđer Bošković Institute.
Six cameras and a Starlink connection have now been added. This removes the previous limitation imposed by the range of a 5G network. The latest report from the University of Rijeka currently states that the battery has a running time of up to six hours.
Why Croatia, of all places?
During the high season, charter fleets, excursion boats, local commercial vessels, bathers and water sports enthusiasts all converge in a confined space off the Croatian coast. It is particularly difficult to maintain control in popular bays. The BOOTE regional report on the Kvarner describes, for example, party boats that sail right up to the beach and anchor amongst the seagrass beds. The Cruising report: around Krk reports that some boats are still moored close to natural bathing beaches – despite the new regulations.
An autonomous boat could assist with inspections. Instead of a patrol boat having to call at every bay on a regular basis, a sensor-equipped vehicle could pre-select situations that appear suspicious: position, time, image data and measurement readings are recorded; the relevant authority then decides whether an inspection or a penalty is necessary. This is because a camera initially identifies a suspicion, not automatically a legally verifiable offence.
More on the subject of maritime surveillance:
On the Kiel Fjord, the Fraunhofer Centre for Maritime Logistics and Services is testing the AI-based surveillance system ‘KIRMES’ until the end of 2026. It is designed to automatically detect unusual vessel movements and alert the relevant security authorities in the event of any anomalies. Click here for the article: Artificial Intelligence: AI surveillance will also target sailors in 2026
Too much surveillance at sea?
The planned surveillance is the subject of heated debate in skippers’ forums. On the one hand, there is a consensus that reckless water sports enthusiasts must be held to account. On the other hand, nobody particularly wants to be filmed whilst swimming in the bay. For the scheme to be accepted in the area, the following applies: Anyone collecting data must first clearly stipulate which recordings will be stored, who will analyse them and for how long they will be retained. Technically, ‘Faust V’ can help to respond more quickly to breaches of the rules. Legal and practical responsibility remains with the people who analyse the data and, where necessary, order measures to be taken. The key factor is whether the authorities translate the data into effective enforcement – and whether skippers can clearly see where the rules apply and why they are being enforced. If so, the technology could help to better protect bathers, seagrass beds and considerate crews.
Book recommendations
Coastal Guide to Croatia and Slovenia places Faust V’s technical perspective within the context of sailing in the area. The volume covers the Croatian coast from Koper to Split and brings together recreational boating charts, information on harbours, anchorages, approach routes, weather and traffic regulations. It is particularly useful for crews where discussions about distances, swimming areas and anchoring in specific bays intersect with cruise planning.
Rules for the prevention of collisions explains the international rules for the prevention of collisions, using illustrations, visual aids and concise summaries for use on board. The title adds a crucial point to the debate on autonomous vehicles: neither sensor technology nor software exempts unmanned systems or manned yachts from the basic rules of safe navigation and clear evasive manoeuvres.
Would you see an autonomous surveillance boat in busy Croatian bays as a useful aid to safety and environmental protection – or do your concerns about excessive monitoring on the water outweigh this?
