1. "RPAS potential for European border surveillance"
Land and maritime surveillance, border patrol
Zdravko Kolev
Research and Development Unit
09 February 2012

2. Frontex
EU agency
Independant legal body with management board of MS ’border chiefs’
298 staff and growing
Operational in Warsaw since Oct. 05
Council Regulation (EC) 2007/2004/ ( , OJ L 349/ )
Amended by the Regulation (EU) No 1168/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011

3. Frontex mission
”While considering that the responsibility for the control and surveillance of external borders lies with the Member States, the Agency shall facilitate and render more effective the application of existing and future Community measures relating to the management of external borders.”
“…contributing to an efficient, high and uniform level of control on persons and surveillance of the external borders…”
“ … the Agency may acquire, itself or in co-ownership with a Member State, or lease technical equipment for external border control to be deployed during joint operations …”

4. Surveillance User’s Needs
Challenges for European border surveillance
Surveillance User’s Needs
Platforms and sensors for the collection of data and information
24/7 all weather surveillance border and pre-frontier
Platforms and sensors to facilitate interception
Systems to exchange information
Systems to exploit the information and react quickly to evolving threats
All the above: Affordable and Integrable

5. Surveillance User’s Needs
Challenges for European border surveillance
Surveillance User’s Needs

6. Examining the creation of a European Border
EUROSUR
EUROSUR
Examining the creation of a European Border
Surveillance System (EUROSUR)
Communication by Commission in February 2008
Council conclusions in June 2008 and Stockholm Programme
System of systems to provide situational awareness of border areas
Three phases:
Interlinking and streamlining existing surveillance systems at MS level
Development and implementation of common tools and applications at EU level
Creation of a common monitoring and information sharing environment for maritime domain

7. EUROSUR - THE NETWORK PROJECT
NCC Local
System
Show information exchange between a limited number of 6 MS (2012 – 18MSs) and Frontex.
Facilitate exchange of what MS are able and willing to share.
Basic idea: gradual development of EUROSUR

8. EUROSUR

9. Satellites and RPA for border surveillance
Satellites with imaging radar (SAR) or optical sensors are useful for intelligence gathering, but not for real time tracking
RPA have potential but must prove to be cost effective compared to manned flights

10. Demonstration of mini RPA and Aerostats
Workshops «RPA and Land Border Surveillance»
2009 & 2010 Imatra, Finland
SELEX ”ASIO” + HYDRA
”SENSORINTEGRATION”
LIVE DEMO
PATRIA ”MASS”
LIVE DEMO
”LIVE VIDEO FROM MOBILE
TO MOBILE OVER IP”,
AHORTEC LTD LIVE DEMO
AERONAUTICS
SKYSTAR 180
Tactical aerostat
All weather conditions
SIM SKYEYE”+ QUATTRO VIDEOTRANSMISSION SYSTEM
RAFAEL ”ORBITER” LIVE DEMO
+ AERONAUTICS AEROSTAT SYSTEM, NOT
LIVE DEMO

11. Demonstration sessions Aktio and Istres 2011
Lockheed Martin OPA DA-42
IAI HERON 1
AKTIO, GREECE
PATROLLER
RPA Workshop and Demonstration “RPAs potential for European border surveillance”, organized during weeks 41 and 42, 2011 in Aktio Hellenic Air Force Base (Preveza, Greece) & Flight Test Center (Istres, France).
6 RPA platforms (1 - Medium Altitude Long Endurance RPA; 2 - OPA (Optional piloted aircraft), 1 – Small long endurance RPA; 2 Small RPA).
32 hours day flights and 6 hours night flights.
Istres, France
SpyLite
FULMAR
PUMA

12. Land and maritime surveillance, border patrol scenarios SAR operations
Demonstration session 2011
Land and maritime surveillance, border patrol scenarios
SAR operations

13. Surveillance User’s Needs
RPAS potential for Border surveillance
Surveillance User’s Needs
Maritime domain
detection of small vessels (fast and speedboats) at long distance
wide area and long endurance
real and near-real time operational data
supporting Search and Rescue
integration with other existing surveillance networks
sensors – MPR, SAR, HD EO/IR, SIGINT
Land border surveillance
efficient detection of human presence and vehicles
all weather and day/night conditions
speed and altitude adaptability
sensors

14. Integration into normal airspace
RPAS – critical hurdles
Cost effectiveness
(cost effective compared to manned flights)
Integration into normal airspace

15. Frontex activities in 2012
Maritime domain – operational assessment of Medium Altitude Long Endurance RPAS platform and sensors capabilities
Aerial border surveillance trails – optionally piloted aircraft
2012 Implementation of the Study on RPA for Border Surveillance – performance & efficiency - Isdefe, Spain

16. RPAS could play a significant role in EUROSUR RPA have potential
Conclusions
Frontex works closely with the Commission and MSs in the development of EUROSUR
RPAS could play a significant role in EUROSUR
RPA have potential
Maritime surveillance
Long range and long endurance
Land
RPA need to prove
Usefulness (legal / insertion into civil airspace)
Cost-effectiveness

17. Thank you for your attention !