ATHENS – The first pilot application of a drone to monitor seaplane base safety in Greece took place in Corfu, within the framework of the “5D-AeroSafe” project, which has been selected by the General Directorate of Mobility and Transport of the European Union.

The main purpose of the project is to apply innovative technologies to maximise aviation safety, offering drone inspection solutions for airports, Civil Aviation air navigation systems and seaplane waterways.

It is the first, at the European level, implementation of the application for seaplane facilities with the participation of Greek companies and universities. It will also make use of drone technologies, as well as artificial intelligence techniques, to present an integrated watercourse management system, which will maximize the safety of seaplane landing and take off, minimise the administrative cost of operating seaplane facilities, while at the same time offering a complete operational image to seaplane base managers.

The consortium implementing the project has as a member, with the role of coordinator, the French company “Airbus”, while there is also a Greek presence via “Future Intelligence”, “Hellenic Waterways” and “Hellenic Mediterranean University”.

The consortium will work closely with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which will define the required regulatory procedures to ensure all the necessary conditions for the correct execution of the project’s pilot application. The implementation of the project is expected to contribute significantly to the maximisation of safety in terms of the operation of seaplane bases and airports, while at the same time it will expand the scope of new innovative services in air navigation.