Design of Sensors’ Technical Specifications for Airborne Surveillance at Borders

Abstract

The need for fast and precise information in combination with the huge technological developments concerning drone, information and sensor technologies, over the last few years, promoted the use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in several domains ranging from agriculture to surveillance applications. The unique opportunity that UAVs and the accompanied payloads offer for acquisition of real time and precise data, make them a valuable asset especially for Law Enforcement Agencies that benefit from UAV’s capabilities, preventing or efficiently responding to several cases. Focusing on border external security, the continuous reports on cross border illegal activities apply constant pressure to Border Guard Authorities that aim to safeguard European borders, highlighting in this way, the need of new technologies and ways that will guarantee efficient border surveillance. In this framework, this paper analyses the methodological steps followed and the outcomes derived in the process of requirements identification up to the extraction of specifications, concerning an unmanned aerial system and its payload meaning the respective s censors for border surveillance that are capable of supporting border guard authorities on surveillance and search and rescue missions.