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Leendert BalHead of DepartmentOperations

EMSA's perspective on RPAS/UAV Maritime Surveillance services

3rd Workshop on European Unmanned Maritime Systems; Porto, 29 May 2014

Regulatory Agency ofthe European Union• 10 years in existence• Own legal identity• Technical and operational

support• ~240 staff,

24 nationalities• ~80 staff in Operations

Department• Annual overall budget:

~50 million Euros• HQ Lisbon, Portugal

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Ship reporting services:

- SafeSeaNet (short range monitoring – terrestrial stations)

- Satellite-AIS (long range monitoring together with ESA)

- LRIT (Long Range Identification and Tracking)

Earth observation service:

- CleanSeaNet (oil spill monitoring and vessel detection)

- Copernicus Maritime Surveillance Services as of 2015

Integrated Maritime Services (data fusion/correlation)

EMSA’s growing role in Maritime Surveillance based on maritime information systems

New developments:

Enlarged legal mandate: By providing, …, relevant vessel positioning and earth observation data to the competent national authorities and relevant EU bodies … in order to facilitate measures against threats of piracy and of intentional unlawful acts …

Institutional Service Provider of “maritime picture” to other EU bodies: EFCA, FRONTEX, EU NAVFOR

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• Negative public/political perception:• Intrusive, aggressive• Costly

• Operational constraints:• Use in non-segregated airspace

not regulated, no EU certification,• ATC for cross-border use?• Limited operational experience in civil domain.

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Current constraints to use RPAS as part of operations:

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Scanning for oil

spills…

Oil spill found!

Vessel detected!

Searching for vessel in

distress….

Monitoring offshore

platforms….

Offshore gas plume

monitored!

• Maritime Pollution Monitoring• Supporting Search and Rescue Operations• Monitoring accidents with Oil and Gas installations• Supporting law enforcement activities (fishery control, customs,

anti-drug trafficking, border control)• Supporting Anti-piracy• Safety of Navigation: Iceberg and Ice boundary monitoring

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Serving different applications/purposes:

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RPAS: Operational Added Value

- To be integrated in surveillance chain: used in combination with satellites and MPA,

- More flexible than orbiting satellite- Small boat detection capability- Less sensors than surveillance aircraft but lower

operating costs- Emissions monitoring: safer in situations with gas and/or

explosion danger- Suitable for routine monitoring and event related action

(pinpointing)- At-sea operation relatively safe- Small number of RPAS at strategic positions to assist

EU Member States is a cost effective solution

• Clear maritime surveillance business case for RPAS• At-sea operation is straightforward and relatively safe• General public acceptance is an issue, also at EU level• Regulatory framework is required soon in order to be able to

offer operational services – Commission Communication: >2016• Operational experience will grow quickly with on-going trials

and projects: fine-tuning for right operational mix (sensors and endurance) is on-going

• RPAS is interesting new data source• RPAS data is tested to be embedded

in EMSA applications

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Conclusions

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© Portuguese Air Force