EMEA News
EMSA Announces Drone Demonstration for Maritime Monitoring
The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) announced that, along with European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), will be holding a demonstration today in Huelva, Spain to show the potential of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS, or drones) as valuable maritime surveillance tools, including for applications of pollution monitoring.
As Ship & Bunker has reported, the EMSA has previously said it was "embracing what technology has to offer for maritime surveillance" and has been working with the European Space Agency (ESA) on two pilot projects intended to efficiently utilise drones for maritime surveillance and sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions monitoring.
"The demonstration is an opportunity for Member State representatives with an operational role in civil maritime surveillance to become familiar with the benefits and constraints of RPAS use in different scenarios," explained EMSA of the newly announced demonstration.
"As RPAS services become available from EMSA over the course of the year, this awareness will be instrumental in guiding future requests for RPAS mobilisation."
Specifically, the demonstration will see flight scenarios carried out in cooperation with and on the premises of Spain's Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), utilising the assets and expertise of contracted companies, as well as Spain's Maritime Safety Agency (SASEMAR) and customs authorities.
The scenarios will follow and help to test the Concept of Operations developed jointly by EFCA, EMSA, and Frontex to mirror actual operational requirements across a range of coast guard activities.
The preliminary results are set to be presented at the pilot project's closing workshop on June 2, 2017.
Last year, Markku Mylly, executive director of the EMSA, said a tender had been signed to provide a drone to assist in a number of information gathering operations, including maritime emissions monitoring.
