An electrically powered airship equipped with sensors and tools to analyse environmental, security, and maritime traffic management factors flew over the Port of Sagunto in Spain to test this new technology.
The Port Authority of Valencia (PAV), the Valenciaport Foundation, and the Sagunto Customs Administration collaborated and participated in the demonstration.
ENAIRE, the air navigation manager in Spain, had earlier coordinated and approved the airship’s deployment at a height of 100 metres.
The machine was equipped with a gyro-stabilised optical camera for picture record and transmission to the ground control centre in real-time. Various actions and areas of the port of Sagunto were monitored during the in-flight operation, based on PAV personnel indications and use cases of interest for port management specified in previous phases.
The Autonomous Stratospheric Platforms for Maritime Monitoring (PLEAMMAR) project is being developed by the startup company SMARTHAPS as part of the Ports 4.0 initiative supported by Puertos del Estado and the Port Authorities.
The PLEAMMAR project seeks to conduct a feasibility analysis of the use of HAPS (High Altitude Pseudo-Satellites) for port uses such as marine and land traffic management, security and monitoring, pollution control, and logistics operations.
