WATCHOUT - Remote control?
How remotely piloted aircraft are being used to help monitor compliance within restricted areas and reduce the risk of unwanted incidents
The rise in remotely piloted aircraft and drone technology is increasingly allowing the ability to monitor restricted maritime areas, such as protected zones and exclusion areas. Intended to provide real-time situational awareness, these drones are helping to detect behaviour like unauthorised entry into designated restricted areas, as well as environmental risks including pollution and illegal emission levels. They are also being used to monitor and respond to safety risks.
Case study one: EMSA
The French Directorate General of Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture is using remotely piloted aircraft provided by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to measure sulphur and nitrogen emissions from ships operating in the Emission Control Area (ECA) of the North Sea and English Channel. The so-called ‘sniffer drone’ is able to sample air quality from the funnel to check that passing ships are complying with rules that cap the content of certain pollutants in the fuel being burned. Ships that are suspected of being out of compliance based on the results from the drone sampling may be subject to inspection at the next port of call.
Emissions monitoring campaigns frequently take place in this area, as the busy shipping lanes are well within the flight range of the aircraft being deployed. Remotely piloted aircraft system services are offered free to all EU member states by EMSA and have been developed to assist in maritime surveillance operations and ship emission monitoring. They can provide support to traditional coast guard functions too, including search and rescue and pollution prevention and response.
Case study two: MPA Singapore
In a related use case, The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) launched a trial last year using drones to detect and respond to chemical spills at sea – in particular for identifying methanol fires, which burn invisibly. The trial will explore how drones can be deployed for ‘routine surveillance and anomaly detection,’ according to reports in the Straits Times. MPA has previously tested drones equipped with a methanol detector, an infrared camera – which detects heat signatures – and plume-modelling capabilities to help it identify methanol leaks during a methanol bunkering operation. Drones can also be used for firefighting and mitigation, as well as detection.