Marine Drones for Coastal Monitoring: BRIGANTINE Project Workshop in Venice
On March 13, 2026, the workshop “New Opportunities for Monitoring the Marine Environment Using Surface Drones” was held at the CNR-ISMAR headquarters in the Venice Arsenale. The workshop was organized as part of the Interreg Italy-Croatia BRIGANTINE project.
The event brought together public institutions, research organizations, and industry professionals to discuss the role of autonomous technologies—particularly surface marine drones (ASVs)—in monitoring coastal and lagoon ecosystems. Participants included representatives from the Veneto Region, ARPAV, the City of Venice, the Italian Navy, universities and research centers, as well as several private operators active in the maritime sector.
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The day opened with a technical session dedicated to the presentation of the BRIGANTINE project and the development of the marine drone, an autonomous catamaran equipped with sensors and data acquisition systems for monitoring water quality and marine habitats. The speakers, from University of Udine, CORILA, University of Zagreb and Polytechnic University of Marche, illustrated the platform’s main features and applications, with particular attention to its ability to collect high-frequency data in complex environments such as lagoons, port areas, and sensitive coastal zones.
Particular emphasis was placed on monitoring seagrass meadows, a key habitat for biodiversity and coastal protection, and on the possibility of integrating chemical-physical data and multispectral imagery for a more comprehensive assessment of ecosystem status.
The second part of the morning was dedicated to a roundtable discussion on “The Use of Marine Drones: Opportunities, Problems, Regulation,” which brought together experts from ARPAV, OGS, CNR-ISMAR, CORILA, and the Ruđer Bošković Institute. A dedicated contribution from the DIH InnovaMare project highlighted the role of digital innovation hubs in bridging research and SMEs, promoting the uptake of marine technologies through testing environments, data platforms, and cross-border collaboration. The discussion highlighted how these technologies can support environmental early warning systems, improve the spatial coverage of monitoring, and integrate data from low-cost sensors, despite some critical issues related to the regulatory framework and data management.
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Among the topics discussed were the need to develop interoperable systems for information sharing, the importance of integrating drones, models, and satellite data, and the growing role of artificial intelligence in validating and interpreting environmental data. It was also emphasized how automation can help maintain high levels of environmental control even in a context of limited resources for public administrations.
In the afternoon, participants attended a practical demonstration of the BRIGANTINE drone in the waters of the Arsenale. The test provided a firsthand look at the catamaran’s operating procedures and the potential applications of the technology in real-world conditions.
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The workshop provided an opportunity for concrete discussion between researchers, institutions, and operators, confirming the interest in innovative solutions for marine monitoring and paving the way for possible future experiments in coastal and lagoon environments.
More info on https://www.italy-croatia.eu/web/brigantine
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