LitterDrone’s factsheet at EASME’s website

Development and exploitation of innovative tools for remote marine litter control and management through UAVs

 

Project abstract: 

LitterDrone’s main objective is the development of an innovative service for the monitoring and management of marine litter at the coastline, by using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), popularly known as “drones”.

The project will apply new technologies to the traditional methods of marine litter control, by using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) equipped with high resolution cameras and image analysis software. Through this methodology it will be possible to remotely evaluate the presence of marine litter in coastlines, as well as its composition in fractions and items. It will also allow to monitor remote and/or inaccessible areas currently unavailable because of these constraints. With the information collected through Geographical hot spots where litter is accumulated will be more easily detected and  the waste items that are more prevalent in a particular area will be discovered in order to focus prevention and mitigation activities.

The LitterDrone project focuses on the incorporation of new technologies adapted to the norms established by the EU Joint Research Centre MSFD Technical Group on Marine Litter and responding to the OSPAR Convention expert panel’s appreciations on the lack of spatial representativeness of the monitoring performed up to date in certain beaches of each maritime region.

As a whole it is expected that this innovative tool will be able to contribute towards the global challenge posed by marine litter and will contribute to the preservation of marine and coastal ecosystems, supporting public authorities as part of the Integrated Maritime Surveillance component of the Blue Growth strategy

Project website: https://litterdrone.aebam.org/

Project duration:  01/02/2017-31/01/2019
Project acronym:  LitterDRONE
Call ID:  EASME/EMFF/2016/1.2.1.4 – Blue Labs – innovative solutions for maritime challenges
Beneficiaries: 
  • University of Vigo (UVIGO), Vigo, Spain
  • GRAFINTA S.A. (GSA), Madrid, Spain
  • Asociación Española de Basuras Marinas (Spanish Marine Litter Association) (AEBAM), Madrid, Spain
EU contribution: 
312.998,00€

 

https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/development-and-exploitation-innovative-tools-remote-marine-litter-control-and-management-through