Marble Aerospace

Marble Aerospace is a UK-based aerospace company that designs, manufactures, and operates fleets of high-speed, autonomous drones for maritime surveillance and monitoring. Founded in 2016 by Mathieu Johnsson, a former Airbus engineer, and Alex Bennetts, the company originated in Bristol before relocating to London after receiving backing from the accelerator Entrepreneur First. Johnsson's background in aerospace engineering and his early work with 3D-printed drones formed the technical foundation of the company.

The company provides an end-to-end service, delivering real-time intelligence to clients such as government agencies, coast guards, maritime police, and environmental NGOs. Its business model focuses on offering surveillance as a service, targeting illicit activities like illegal fishing, drug trafficking, and piracy, as well as environmental monitoring and infrastructure protection. Marble manages all aspects of deployment, including strategic planning, regulatory approvals for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) missions, and ongoing maintenance and operations.

Marble's core product is its proprietary fleet of fixed-wing, vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) drones, currently in their fifth generation (MRB5). These aircraft are designed for high-speed, long-distance travel in harsh maritime environments and can be broken down to fit into regular airline luggage for rapid deployment worldwide. The drones are equipped with computer vision sensors and AI-assisted vessel detection software, enabling real-time data collection and analysis. The entire system, from the aircraft to the user's web interface, is developed in-house. The company utilizes advanced manufacturing techniques, including constructing airframes from 3D-printed glass-filled resin, and is exploring metallic 3D-printing for future enhancements.

Keywords: maritime surveillance, autonomous drones, ISR, unmanned aerial systems, eVTOL, real-time intelligence, computer vision, AI-assisted detection, coastal monitoring, illegal fishing, beyond visual line of sight, 3D-printed aircraft, aerospace engineering, drone services, national security, environmental monitoring, maritime security, fixed-wing drone, anti-piracy, vessel detection