Global Maintenance Day: Production, maintenance and service challenges of autonomous unmanned systems at sea
With Steven Luys, CEO of EXAIL Robotics Belgium in Ostend
To mark Global Maintenance Day, BEMAS invites you to an exclusive company tour and inspirational session at EXAIL Robotics Belgium, a fast-growing high-tech company in Ostend that is an international leader in autonomous maritime systems for defence and safety-critical applications. Host EXAIL develops and manufactures Autonomous Unmanned Systems (AUS) that are deployed worldwide for tasks including mine countermeasures at sea, maritime surveillance and inspection. The solutions combine advanced robotics, sensor technology, navigation, data fusion and software into fully autonomous systems that operate in complex and demanding environments. During this event, you will not only gain insight into the technology and applications, but we will also delve deeper into the service and maintenance challenges of such autonomous systems.
Content & structure of the session
Introduction to EXAIL Robotics
An overview of the company, its activities, international positioning and strategic collaboration with the Belgian Navy, as a world leader in mine clearance. This will also address the importance of core technological competencies.
High-tech solutions for maritime mine countermeasures
A deep dive into the autonomous maritime systems that EXAIL develops for detecting, classifying and neutralising sea mines. Steven Luys explains how different autonomous systems work together in operational missions where reliability and safety are crucial.
Interactive session: service & maintenance of Autonomous Unmanned Systems (AUS)
This interactive session bridges the gap to reliability, maintenance and asset management. Participants are actively engaged to share experiences, questions and insights.
- How do you maintain autonomous systems that operate remotely and in extreme conditions?
- What role do predictive maintenance, remote diagnostics and digital twins play?
- How do you organise service, spare parts and lifecycle management for AUS?
The presentation will be followed by an extensive company tour of the recently constructed assembly halls where the underwater drones are built. A unique opportunity to experience the technology and production environment up close.
Programme
- 17:00 – Reception
- 18:00 – Presentation: Production, maintenance and service challenges of Autonomous Unmanned Systems at sea
- 18:45 – Interactive session: maintenance & service of autonomous systems
- 19:15 – Factory Tour
- 20:00 – Networking session & walking dinner
Target audience
This event is aimed at professionals in production, maintenance and service who work with complex, automated or autonomous systems. Maintenance managers, reliability engineers, service managers, operations managers and technical leaders will find concrete insights into the impact of autonomy on maintenance strategies, reliability and lifecycle management.
In addition to in-depth content, this event also serves as a networking opportunity for the BEMAS community. Participants will have the chance to exchange experiences with peers, share best practices and further expand their professional network within the maintenance ecosystem.
About the speaker
Steven Luys is CEO of EXAIL Robotics Belgium and plays a key role in the strong growth and international positioning of the Belgian operations within the EXAIL group. Under his leadership, the site in Ostend has evolved into a major centre for the development and production of autonomous maritime systems. Steven combines a strong technological background with a clear vision on industrial innovation, scalability and the reliability of complex systems. He has extensive experience in high-end engineering, international defence and security projects, and the organisational challenges associated with maintaining and supporting critical autonomous assets throughout their entire lifecycle.
About Exail
Exail is an international high-tech company specialising in advanced navigation, maritime and autonomous systems. The company develops innovative solutions for complex and critical environments, with applications in areas including underwater inspection, offshore energy, hydrography and Defence.
The Belgian branch in Ostend focuses on the production, integration and servicing of autonomous maritime systems deployed worldwide. Exail combines cutting-edge technology with a strong focus on reliability, maintainability and lifecycle performance — insights that will be central to this event.
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