Radio-frequency ship surveillance satellite launched to monitor dark fleet

Unseenlabs, a French company specialised in space-based radio frequency (RF) signal detection, has launched its latest satellite, BRO-18.

Unseenlabs is building a constellation of satellites to enable government agencies and other organisations to identify and track ships that lack or have switched off automatic identification system (AIS) equipment.

The Unseenlabs satellites detect electromagnetic emissions from electronic systems on vessels for surveillance of maritime activities, including identifying and policing illicit activities ranging from sanctioned energy cargo transport to vessel-based attacks on critical infrastructure to illegal fishing, clandestine discharges, sea trafficking and piracy.

Unseenlabs said BRO-18 is the 17th satellite in its constellation, amplifying the company’s capacity to provide radiofrequency data as demand increases for maritime surveillance worldwide to halt illicit activities.

"BRO-18 accelerates our revisit times, giving our clients more frequent... RF data across all maritime zones. Each satellite we add means more signals captured, more dark ships detected, and more insights delivered," the company said.

With BRO-18, Unseenlabs said it continues to deploy its first constellation dedicated to maritime surveillance. However, the company said it is designing a second RF constellation, set for launch in 2026, that will expand coverage to land, air and space domains. The new constellation aims to broaden operational use cases and establish Unseenlabs as a key provider of multi-domain electromagnetic intelligence.

“With each satellite we add to our constellation, we are not just collecting more data; we are expanding the depth and breadth of information we can deliver to the global maritime community,” Unseenlabs chief executive and co-founder Clément Galic said at an earlier launch.