Brussels is about to give the green light to the use of airborne drones to monitor shipping in European waters.
This after the European Maritime Safety Agency (Emsa) found that a remotely-piloted air system (RPAS) is a valuable tool to complement satellite surveillance and in-situ monitoring in the maritime domain.
Emsa and the European Space Agency (ESA) have been collaborating on the development of RPAS test services. Basically assessing the potential of using an unspecified number of heavy-duty drones for a number of functions including regulatory compliance and maritime safety & security. A user-benefit study is currently being undertaken, and pilot services will be contracted for the second half of 2016.
