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Optimized Real-time maritime Border Surveillance with Intelligent satellite-drone Systemscore

ORBIS · Horizon Europe grant · 2025-10-01–2027-09-30

EC contribution

€1,499,966

Total cost

€0

Beneficiaries

6
About the data

Source: CORDIS (official EU open data), Horizon Europe. Framework HORIZON · call HORIZON-CL3-2024-SSRI-01 · scheme HORIZON-IA · topic HORIZON-CL3-2024-SSRI-01-02. CORDIS record →

Objective

ORBIS aims to deliver a market-fit AI-powered mature and cost-effective solution that integrates constellations of satellites with autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to achieve advanced secure real-time surveillance and fast search and rescue over vast maritime areas where illegal migrant activity could take place. To achieve that, ORBIS’ SMEs will collaborate closely to go beyond the current boundaries of knowledge and technology by: (i) integrating Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites, optical Very High Resolution (VHR) satellites, and thermal infrared sources to achieve a continuous, high-accuracy monitoring system; (ii) leveraging advanced autonomous cost-effective UAVs and push their limits in terms of autonomy and sensing to support maritime border management applications, able to deal with extreme and diverse weather and sea conditions; (iii) exploiting cutting-edge Machine Learning (ML) models to anticipate potential threats in high-risk zones and optimise the surveillance UAV flight plans, making the most out of available flight time and sea area coverage; and (iv) fusing effectively the massive multi-modal data gathered during operation and train distributed ML models for real-time decision making that will ensure faster search and rescue of migration incidents. ORBIS will address early on key market, regulatory, ethical and security requirements towards accelerating access to the civil security market, while engaging with other EU SMEs and key market actors, following a clear innovation management strategy. Finally, ORBIS will document best practices and lessons learnt in clear replicable steps, acting as a successful case study that paves the way for others small innovators to in their go-to-market strategy. Regulatory and policy recommendations will also be elaborated as signposts for facilitating access to the civil security market, aligned with EU security policy priorities.

Beneficiaries (6)

OrganisationCountryRoleEC contributionSME
ACCELIGENCE LTD CY coordinator €628,250 Yes
Q-PLAN INTERNATIONAL ADVISORS PC EL participant €294,697 Yes
FOUR DOT INFINITY INFORMATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS PRIVATE COMPANY EL participant €241,850 Yes
ITOS3D ENGINEERING ES participant €160,869 Yes
ETHNIKO KAI KAPODISTRIAKO PANEPISTIMIO ATHINON EL participant €92,250
YPOURGEIO NAFTILIAS KAI NISIOTIKIS POLITIKIS EL participant €82,050

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