Croatia has obtained state-of-the art unmanned Schiebel Camcopter S-100 for Coast Guard functions.
The Maritime Affairs and Transport Ministry's State Secretary Josip Bilaver said that Croatia was among the first European Union countries to use such remotely-piloted aircraft.
The project is being implemented in cooperation with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).
The EMSA has covered the costs for the aircraft, whereas Croatia is expected to cover the logistical needs.
This is an experimental programme, Bilaver said.
The unmanned aircraft will assist in activities such as search and rescue, monitoring and surveillance, ship and port security, vessel traffic, environmental protection and response, ship casualty assistance, and accident and disaster response.