An energy-autonomous UAV swarm concept to support sea-rescue and maritime patrol missions in the Mediterranean sea

Purpose For the crews and assets of the European Union’s (EU’s) Joint Operations available today, but a vast area in the Mediterranean Sea to monitor, detection of small boats and rafts in distress can take up to several days or even fail at all. This study aims to outline how an energy-autonomous swarm of Unmanned Aerial System can help to increase the monitored sea area while minimizing human resource demand. Design/methodology/approach A concept for an unattended swarm of solar powered, unmanned hydroplanes is proposed. A swarm operations concept, vehicle conceptual design and an initial vehicle sizing method is derived. A microscopic, multi-agent-based simulation model is developed. System characteristics and surveillance performance is investigated in this delimited environment number of vehicles scale. Parameter variations in insolation, overcast and system design are used to predict system characteristics. The results are finally used for a scale-up study on a macroscopic level. Findings Miniaturization of subsystems is found to be essential for energy balance, whereas power consumption of subsystems is identified to define minimum vehicle size. Seasonal variations of solar insolation are observed to dominate the available energy budget. Thus, swarm density and activity adaption to solar energy supply is found to be a key element to maintain continuous aerial surveillance. Research limitations/implications This research was conducted extra-occupationally. Resources were limited to the available range of literature, computational power number and time budget. Practical implications A proposal for a probable concept of operations, as well as vehicle preliminary design for an unmanned energy-autonomous, multi-vehicle system for maritime surveillance tasks, are presented and discussed. Indications on path planning, communication link and vehicle interaction scheme selection are given. Vehicle design drivers are identified and optimization of parameters with significant impact on the swarm system is shown. Social implications The proposed system can help to accelerate the detection of ships in distress, increasing the effectiveness of life-saving rescue missions. Originality/value For continuous surveillance of expanded mission theatres by small-sized vehicles of limited endurance, a novel, collaborative swarming approach applying in situ resource utilization is explored.

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First Description of Two Sequence Type 2 Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates Carrying OXA-23 Carbapenemase in Pagellus acarne Fished from the Mediterranean Sea near Bejaia, Algeria

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy ◽

10.1128/aac.02384-15 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 60 (4) ◽

pp. 2513-2515 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Soumia Brahmi ◽

Abdelaziz Touati ◽

Axelle Cadière ◽

Nassima Djahmi ◽

Alix Pantel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acinetobacter Baumannii ◽

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Sequence Type ◽

Content Type ◽

Carbapenem Resistant ◽

Selective Agar ◽

Agar Media ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

First Time

ABSTRACTTo determine the occurrence of carbapenem-resistantAcinetobacter baumanniiin fish fished from the Mediterranean Sea near the Bejaia coast (Algeria), we studied 300 gills and gut samples that had been randomly and prospectively collected during 1 year. After screening on selective agar media, using PCR arrays and whole-genome sequencing, we identified for the first time two OXA-23-producingA. baumanniistrains belonging to the widespread sequence type 2 (ST2)/international clone II and harboring aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes [aac(6′)-Ib andaac(3′)-I genes].

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Prospects for Mediterranean migration in 2018

Emerald Expert Briefings ◽

10.1108/oxan-db225933 ◽

2017 ◽

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Recent History ◽

Content Type ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Mediterranean Migration

Subject Prospects for Mediterranean migration in 2018. Significance Since 2014, the Mediterranean sea has been the locus of one of the most dramatic migrations in recent history. Over 1.7 million people have crossed it to reach Europe from the shores of Turkey, Libya, Egypt and, to a lesser extent, Tunisia and Morocco.

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Governance of International Sea Borders: Regional Approaches and Sustainable Solutions for Maritime Surveillance in the Mediterranean Sea

Sustainability in the Maritime Domain - Strategies for Sustainability ◽

10.1007/978-3-030-69325-1_9 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 169-195

Author(s):

Marco Fantinato

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Sustainable Solutions ◽

Maritime Surveillance ◽

The Mediterranean

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Separate but together: Mediterranean identity in three countries

Journal of Consumer Marketing ◽

10.1108/jcm-04-2015-1406 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. 9-19 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Luca Petruzzellis ◽

C. Samuel Craig

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Contextual Factors ◽

Mediterranean Area ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Content Type ◽

Cultural Elements ◽

Political Ideologies ◽

Political Boundaries ◽

Values And Beliefs ◽

The Mediterranean

Purpose – The present study aims to understand how a culture associated with proximity to the Mediterranean Sea transcends political boundaries fostering common values and beliefs across three countries. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews were conducted in Italy, Spain and France to assess similarities and differences between respondents. The qualitative data were augmented with the literature pertaining to Mediterranean identity, culture and the influence of contextual factors on its development. Findings – The three geographically proximate countries all border on the Mediterranean Sea. The interviews revealed common cultural elements that transcend political boundaries suggesting that the common context fosters similar cultural elements. At the same time, there are important cultural elements that are uniquely associated with each country. Research limitations/implications – The geographic composition of the sample limits the generality of the results. By design, it focuses on three countries to limit other sources of variation such as affluence and religion. A sample across additional countries would have provided greater confidence in the results, although the selected countries are representative of a large portion of the Mediterranean area, especially in terms of values. Inclusion of respondents from countries with different levels of wealth, religious and political ideologies would likely uncover additional facets of Mediterranean identity. Practical implications – A key implication relates to the extent that similar values and beliefs appear to cut across political boundaries suggesting the existence of transnational segments. It also suggests the importance of considering contextual factors when developing an understanding of consumer behavior. Originality/value – The paper provides insights into the concept of Mediterranean identity, through an examination of the literature and respondents’ perceptions and attitudes about the sense of belonging and attachment to Europe, their country of birth and about being Mediterranean. The notion of a Mediterranean culture has been examined conceptually, but not empirically. This study begins the process of establishing the degree to which Mediterranean identity and the extent to which it exists across multiple countries.

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Countries will want EU solution to migration

Emerald Expert Briefings ◽

10.1108/oxan-db242993 ◽

2019 ◽

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

European Parliament ◽

Coast Guard ◽

Far Right ◽

Central Mediterranean ◽

Content Type ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Border Controls ◽

The Eu

Subject Europe's immigration challenge. Significance On March 27 EU leaders agreed to extend Operation Sophia, the mission aimed at curtailing smuggling in the Mediterranean Sea, by six months. Under revised terms, the EU mission will no longer deploy naval assets, but will continue to deploy aerial assets and train Libya’s coast guard to strengthen that country’s border controls. The compromise to abandon naval assets is aimed at appeasing Italy, which opposes the mission as the vast majority of migrants rescued in the Central Mediterranean are brought to Italian ports. Impacts Divergence over immigration could prevent Europe’s far-right parties from forming a stable alliance in the European Parliament. The number of migrants forcibly returned to Libya will likely increase. Humanitarian NGO ships will continue to operate in the Central Mediterranean, but could face criminalisation from Italy.

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