UNISPHERE FLIGHT MANAGEMENT TO BOOST SHIP EMISSION MONITORING BY DRONE

Within the ESA Space Solutions program, Unisphere and Nordic Unmanned have joined efforts to innovate ship emission monitoring operations with remotely piloted aircraft (RPAS).

The RPAS is fitted with a gas sensor, known as sniffer. Flying in the plume of the ships, the RPAS can determine the amount of sulfur content in the marine fuel and check compliance to legal requirements.

Within the ESA Space Solutions program, Unisphere and Nordic Unmanned have joined efforts to innovate ship emission monitoring operations with remotely piloted aircraft (RPAS).

The RPAS is fitted with a gas sensor, known as sniffer. Flying in the plume of the ships, the RPAS can determine the amount of sulfur content in the marine fuel and check compliance to legal requirements.

A photograph of a ship going out of the harbour and a UAV for maritime monitoring hovering in the air

Ship Emission Monitoring by Drone

Source: Schiebel Corporation

Ship Emission Monitoring by Drone

Source: Schiebel Corporation

Automated Flight Planning for Complex Maritime BVLOS Operations

Operating in areas of heavy ship traffic and challenging environmental conditions, the emission monitoring flight missions are very complex.

The following are required to optimise the efficiency of the RPAS:

Operating in areas of heavy ship traffic and challenging environmental conditions, the emission monitoring flight missions are very complex.

The following are required to optimise the efficiency of the RPAS:

Strategic Scheduling

Tactical Flight Planning

In-Flight Re-Planning

Strategic Scheduling

Tactical Flight Planning

In-Flight Re-Planning

The Unisphere Flight Management Platform (FMP) integrates:

● flight path prediction

● optimization algorithms

● high resolution weather data

● performance and limitation models for the aircraft

● payloads for the aircraft

● flight path prediction

● optimization algorithms

● high resolution weather data

● performance and limitation models for the aircraft

● payloads for the aircraft

Using the operational expertise of Nordic Unmanned, highly automated software modules for mission planning, flight dispatch and flight following have been developed.

The software platform supports the RPAS pilots to exploit the full capability of the aircraft in every mission.

Test campaigns in the North Sea and Mediterranean are scheduled for summer 2021.

Copernicus Digital Elevation Data and Satellite Communication Capability are downstream applications of space assets provided by ESA. The project has an overall volume of 1.5M€ and is co-funded by the ESA Member States Germany and Norway.

Using the operational expertise of Nordic Unmanned, highly automated software modules for mission planning, flight dispatch and flight following have been developed.

The software platform supports the RPAS pilots to exploit the full capability of the aircraft in every mission.

Test campaigns in the North Sea and Mediterranean are scheduled for summer 2021.

Copernicus Digital Elevation Data and Satellite Communication Capability are downstream applications of space assets provided by ESA. The project has an overall volume of 1.5M€ and is co-funded by the ESA Member States Germany and Norway.

A row of logos of: Nordic Unamnned, Unisphere, and ESA Space Solutions

A column of logos of: Nordic Unamnned, Unisphere, and ESA Space Solutions

Scaling RPAS Operations by Automating Pilot Expertise

Unisphere transfers pilot know-how into software to enable commercial use of unmanned aircraft.

The Flight Management Platform increases the automation of:

– operational analysis

– mission planning

– flight dispatch

– flight monitoring

– post-flight processes

– operational analysis

– mission planning

– flight dispatch

– flight monitoring

– post-flight processes

As a result, the FMP:

● improves efficiency

● eliminates risk

● reduces costs

● creates commercial benefit

● improves efficiency

● eliminates risk

● reduces costs

● creates commercial benefit

The software modules are tailored to address operators of drones, air taxis and high-altitude platforms.

Drone Data Solutions for European Maritime Safety

Nordic Unmanned delivers comprehensive data solutions through industry-leading expertise to assist public and private customers in the transition to unmanned technology.

The company was founded in 2014 in Sandnes, Norway, and is one of Europe’s leading service providers within unmanned technology, and has operations across the continent through, amongst others, a framework agreement with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).

Nordic Unmanned delivers comprehensive data solutions through industry-leading expertise to assist public and private customers in the transition to unmanned technology.

The company was founded in 2014 in Sandnes, Norway, and is one of Europe’s leading service providers within unmanned technology, and has operations across the continent through, amongst others, a framework agreement with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).

Commercializing Space Assets through ESA Space Solutions

The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space.

ESA Space Solutions aims at reaching commercial exploitation of space assets, data and capabilities addressing incubation, proving technical feasibility and business development.

This includes the development of operational services for a wide range of users through the combination of different systems, and support in creating viable companies as well as to existing companies.

The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space.

ESA Space Solutions aims at reaching commercial exploitation of space assets, data and capabilities addressing incubation, proving technical feasibility and business development.

This includes the development of operational services for a wide range of users through the combination of different systems, and support in creating viable companies as well as to existing companies.