Sea-border surveillance software

It is part of a €9.8m research-and-development project for homeland security that should revolutionise law enforcement along European sea borders.

The Portsmouth team will design an autonomous software program to improve the current technical performance of surveillance cameras and sensors based on satellites and unmanned aeroplanes.

The program will analyse the images taken by satellites and aircrafts and alert maritime security staff to any suspicious activity, helping them better detect unidentified sea vessels.

The team is bringing together expertise from Portsmouth University’s Department of Mathematics, Business School and School of Creative Technologies.

Dr Alessio Ishizaka, from the Portsmouth University Business School, said: ‘The easiest way to enter the European Union undetected is by sea, so it is crucial to monitor sea borders.

‘There are currently several possible levels of sea observation – including satellites, unmanned aircraft and manned aircraft –­­­­­ and we’ll need to analyse them all in order to ensure the most cost-effective and efficient methods are being deployed.