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9.02 Radar images

Agency responsible
Data group
09. Data collected by aerial assets
Coast Guard Functions with access
Maritime Safety Including Vessel Traffic Management
Maritime Ship and Port Security
Maritime Customs Activities
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement
Maritime Border Control
Maritime Monitoring and Surveillance
Maritime Environmental Protection & Response
Maritime Search and Rescue
Ship Casualty & Maritime Assistance Service
Maritime Accident and Disaster Response
Fisheries Inspection & Control
Status of implementation
Available
Dissemination channels
Agency web interface
Point(s) of contact

EMSA’s Maritime Support Services (MSS)

Submitted by Ioana.Hartescu on

EMSA’s Maritime Support Services (MSS)

Telephone
+351 211 209 415
Fax
+351 211 209 480
Email
MaritimeSupportServices@emsa.europa.eu

RPAS service

Submitted by maria.corredoi… on

RPAS service

Email
rpas@emsa.europa.eu
Last reviewed on
Last saved on
Description

Surveillance radar images and ship object/track identification. The radar images could be transmitted in real time or sent with an undefined delay.  

The track data coming from different radar detections. The tracks created by automatic target tracking and classification are processed on-board and can provide several extra information like course and speed, surface image and estimated mass (in case of radar with synthetic aperture radar capabilities), and estimated shape (in case of devices with inverse synthetic aperture radar capabilities). All the tracks information can be linked with the data received by on board AIS receiver so to identify the detection 

Sea surface image (in case of radar with synthetic aperture radar image capabilities) provide extra information like oil spill detection and estimated mass of vessel objects. 

Data elements

The data elements can vary depending on the radar equipment used on-board the asset and the radar mode selected. 

  • Operational call sign 
  • Sensor set range of detection 
  • Time in UTC 
  • Sensor latitude in deg. and dec. 
  • Sensor longitude deg. and dec 
  • Target range from the sensor  
  • Target bearing from the sensor  
  • Target latitude in deg. and dec. 
  • Target longitude in deg. and dec. 
  • Target speed 
  • Target course  
  • Surface radar image 
  • Shape characteristics of the object 

The full datasets are described for EMSA aerial assets in the EMSA RPAS Interface Control Document. 

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Legal basis
  • EFCA Regulation (EU) 2019/473 
  • EBCG Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 
  • EMSA Regulation (EU) 2016/1625  
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Scope and source of data

This data will allow to get information about vessel targets and sea surface detected by surveillance radar sensors and ideally classified either automatically (with information from AIS) or based on visual identification to complement the situational picture in a defined area and range around the asset.  

The data will be collected by the service provider owning or having the command and control on the asset and will be distributed to all the recipients or a specific list of them either from the service provider or by the relevant Agency. 

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Technical implementation

The technical implementation varies from supplier to supplier who are encouraged to implement on-board processing for further dissemination via RLOS or BRLOS datalink. If the radar track data is not correlated on-board the asset, the correlation takes place on ground within the Agencies fusion systems. 

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Conditions of access

Public administrations from the EU Member States and EFTA/SAC states, and EU Agencies can request for RPAS services. Access to the data coming from the services is limited to Agencies and relevant participating MS authorities as identified by the requesting authority.  

  • EFCA will provide the information to authorities involved in the operation 
  • Frontex will have the ownership of the operation 
  • EMSA will provide the requesting administration with the ownership of the operation. 
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