High Eye Airboxer Fills Critical Gap in Maritime Unmanned Aviation, Calls for Streamlined Defence Partnerships
NOOTDORP, The Netherlands – November 28, 2025 – High Eye, a Dutch scale-up specializing in unmanned aerial systems (UAS), is highlighting its flagship product, the Airboxer, an advanced vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) helicopter designed to operate in the challenging maritime domain. The company aims to bridge a critical gap in the market while advocating for strategic, long-term partnerships with defence and government agencies.
Joost de Ruiter, CEO and founder of High Eye, explained the company’s genesis: “We saw a gap in the market for systems that can land and take off vertically. You’ve got small electric multicopters and large unmanned systems, but not much in between. We wanted to fill that gap with an unmanned helicopter with a small footprint, specifically designed for the maritime domain.”
Unmatched Endurance and Maritime Resilience
Developed since 2013, the fuel-powered Airboxer is built to handle strong winds, salt, and the constant motion of a ship’s deck. Its robust design allows it to operate effectively at sea, though its capabilities also extend to land operations.
The Airboxer is a fully automated aerial platform capable of carrying up to seven kilograms of diverse payload, which the user determines. Key performance specifications include:
- Endurance: Up to four hours of flight time thanks to its fuel-powered propulsion.
- Speed: A cruising speed of 75 km/h and a maximum speed of 130 km/h.
- Missions: Used globally for reconnaissance, situational awareness, and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) by entities such as Defence, the Coastguard, and the offshore industry.
- Compact Footprint: Requires only a four by four meter area for takeoff and landing.
The Call for Strategic Collaboration
While High Eye has maintained continuous contact and interest from Defence for years, De Ruiter advocates for a shift in procurement strategy to maximize innovation. He notes that lengthy procurement procedures can result in systems being outdated by the time they are delivered, potentially eroding the company’s margins as newer components are integrated late in the process.
“A better way would be to build long-term partnerships with trusted partners,” states De Ruiter. “That would enable Defence and industry to develop systems jointly, ensuring that what we build works within the Navy’s operational concepts. Programmes such as SDIR (Strategic Defence Innovation Research), in which we are currently participating with the Royal Netherlands Navy, are good steps in that direction.”
Scaling Up and Financing Needs
As a scale-up, High Eye is facing financing challenges common in the defense sector. Defence contracts typically pay only after delivery, yet upfront investment is required to purchase components, often necessitating 50 percent of the total cost. This creates a challenging financing environment, as banks and investors often require a signed contract before providing credit.
De Ruiter emphasizes that an advance payment mechanism from government agencies would significantly support scale-ups during the component purchasing phase. He stressed the importance of working capital financing over equity investments, noting, “Most entrepreneurs aren’t looking for new shareholders; they’re looking for working capital financing.”
The Airboxer remains a highly practical and compact solution, easily operated by a two-person team after a three-week training course. Its simple maintenance allows for major component replacement, such as an engine, within two hours using basic tools.
De Ruiter remains optimistic about the future of unmanned systems, anticipating that naval vessels will increasingly utilize multiple unmanned platforms alongside manned helicopters to enhance flexibility and efficiency.
