SEAWINGS in REPMUS 2024

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SEAWINGS representatives from INESC TEC, LPRC – La Palma Research Centre and Porvalor attended the REPMUS event on September 25, in Tróia, Portugal, held at the CEOM facilities (Navy Operational Experimentation Center).

REPMUS is an exercise dedicated to Robotic Experimentation & Prototyping with Maritime Unmaned Systems, where Navy representatives from various countries conduct relevant activities related to the topic.

In this opportunity, the SEAWINGS team engaged with potential end-users of the proposed WIG vehicles, from the Portuguese and Spanish Navies, who have been contributing to SEAWINGS tasks in the past years. Communication materials (flyers and business cards) were distributed to foster follow up and raise awareness about SEAWINGS.

In addition, discussions and a workshop in REPMUS allowed the collection of insights and validation about the potential missions where SEAWINGS can add value as a military asset.

Special thanks to our partners INESC TEC for facilitating access to REPMUS 2024!

Review meeting, phase I

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The SEAWINGS project, funded by the European Defence Fund (EDF), held its first Review Meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on 5th September 2024. The event was hosted by the coordinating organisation LPRC. The primary objective of the event was to bring together project partners and the Project Officer – the representative of the European Commission –  to present and discuss the ongoing tasks within the 5 Work Packages (WPs) that have been running during the first reporting period: from December 2022 to May 2024.

Marcio Tameirao Pinto, representing LPRC as coordinator of the project, opened the event with welcoming words, followed by the presentations envisaged in the agenda of the event, covering administrative, research and technical aspects of the development of SEAWINGS. The main purpose was to present the work that have been implemented during the reporting period, timeline, challenges, risks, and the workplan for the upcoming months:

  • WP1 – General management and coordination of the project . Delivered by LPRC. 
  • WP2 – User requirements, interoperability, policies and standards. Delivered by Z&P and Porvalor.
  • WP3 – Foundational research and conceptualization. Delivered by UPM and INESC TEC.
  • WP4 – Mechatronics, guidance, navigation, and autonomy and control experiments. Delivered by UPM and Trisolaris.
  • WP5 – Perception and sensor fusion, monitoring and visualization, avionics experiments. Delivered by INESC TEC.

The last session of the meeting was dedicated to open discussions and suggestions provided by the Project Officer. After the presentations and fruitful discussions, the SEAWINGS partners are aligned and committed to work hard on the implementation of the project tasks in the short, medium, and long term period.

Summary of activities in Year 1

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During the first 12 months, the SEAWINGS project comprised several critical activities, spanning from project management, research, and technical development. The following tasks were concluded and reported in the respective deliverables:

  • The risk management plan was pre-defined at the proposal stage and further discussed and supplemented during the first months of SEAWINGS implementation. Particular attention was paid to the confidential handling of results;
  • An IPR management plan detailed measures to define and implement a knowledge protection strategy. It prioritised elements such as the status of IP filings, ownership considerations and licensing issues;
  • The report on end-user requirements encompassed the expectations and demands of expected end-users of the SEAWINGS vehicle. This research covered diverse aspects such as case scenarios, mechanical properties, level of autonomy, and other essential functionalities;
  • Findings from virtual and physical scale models were described in the “Report on Simulations and Scaled Model Field Testing”. The report focused on control aspects, offering insights into the performance of SEAWINGS model under various conditions;
  • An extensive research into the regulatory landscape of the case study countries and the European Union named “Detailed Report on European Regulations and Policies for WIG Crafts”. The primary goal of the report was to identify standards, regulations, and systems that could influence the introduction of WIG crafts;
  • Summarizing the research on cutting-edge perception algorithms, the “Report on Innovative Perception Methods for WIGs” underscored the importance of swift and effective perception for SEAWINGS;
  • Finally, the views and feedback of the Advisory Board was reported containing external input, ideas, views, and advice in shaping the project’s direction and decision-making processes.

SEAWINGS Progress meeting in Madrid, Spain

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The SEAWINGS project held a successful meeting on the 5th and 6th of March at the Centro de Automática y Robótica (UPM – CSIC) in Madrid, Spain. The meeting brought together the project partners, members of the advisory board and some end-users to discuss the progress and future directions of the project.

The first day was dedicated to the SEAWINGS Progress Meeting, which began with an overview of the agenda and objectives of the meeting. Discussions included a review of general management and coordination aspects, stakeholder requirements collection, and foundational research and conceptualization.

On the second day the focus shifted to end-user requirements which were collected through a workshop. After introductions, participants discussed performance-based design and target scenarios. The organization of this meeting mirrored that of the end-user workshops previously held in Portugal in September and in Modena in November.

SEAWINGS Progress Meeting in Modena, Italy

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The SEAWINGS Consortium, along with end-users including representatives from the Portuguese Navy and the Italian Army, convened for a crucial three-day meeting at the Accademia Militare in Modena, Italy. The group focused on exploring the project’s trajectory, emphasizing user requirements and the technological specifications essential for the SEAWINGS vehicle’s success

Day One began with a welcome by Márcio Pinto of LPRC, outlining the agenda and objectives. The meeting then covered updates on project progress, including general management, coordination of actions, and a review of the Gantt chart, deliverables, milestones, communication strategies, and reporting periods. Discussions led by Paola Fratantoni (Z&P) and Nuno Almeida (Porvalor) addressed user requirements, interoperability, policies, and standards, including stakeholder requirement collection and analysis of regulations for Wing-In-Ground (WIG) crafts. Following a coffee break, the consortium explored foundational research and conceptualization, with presentations covering system conceptualization, control research, virtual models, perception sensors for autonomous WIG crafts, and power system studies.

The following day, after presenting the project comprehensively to the end-users, Z&P led a workshop reminiscent of the one held in Oerias, Portugal, in September. This session aimed to delve into the practical applications of the SEAWINGS vehicle, emphasizing its potential to significantly enhance European maritime security.

The final day focused on aligning operational requirements with technical capabilities. A technical workshop facilitated by UPM, INESC TEC, and Trisolaris, alongside the Advisory Board, delved into the technical and operational aspects crucial for the project’s success. This session emphasized the importance of synergy between technical solutions and operational demands to ensure the SEAWINGS project meets end-user needs efficiently.

SEAWINGS Project Coordinator LPRC participates in European Defence and Security Conference

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Two members of the La Palma Research Centre, Marcio Pinto and Anna Chiara Vigna, attended the third edition of the European Defence and Security Conference in Brussels on 10 October 2023. The event brought together key personalities from the European defence and security landscape, including EU officials, ministers from Member States, military representatives, CEOs, representatives of industry associations and researchers.

The European Defence and Security Conference featured six main sessions, complemented by fireside chats, which provided participants with insights and perspectives. In addition, attendees participated in dynamic and interactive Focus Sessions that fostered expert exchange on selected topics.

The participation of the SEAWINGS partners at the conference underlines the consortium’s commitment to developing a defence vehicle that meets the needs of the European defence industry.

SEAWINGS Consortium gathers in Oeiras, Portugal, for the end-user requirements workshop

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Last September, the SEAWINGS Consortium gathered with a select group of experts and end-users from the Portuguese Navy at the historic Palácio Marquês de Pombal in Oeiras, Portugal. The meeting, expertly organised by Z&P with the help of the project coordinator LPRC began with an insightful introduction to the SEAWINGS project. The session provided a comprehensive overview of the technical aspects of the vehicle, highlighting its capabilities and limitations in real-world scenarios.

The agenda progressed to an in-depth discussion of two previously identified application scenarios: patrol and surveillance, and search and rescue. This session was designed to explore the practical applications of the SEAWINGS vehicle, highlighting its potential to make a significant contribution to the European maritime security. In addition, the consortium discussed several other scenarios in which the SEAWINGS vehicle could be used, highlighting the versatility and adaptability of the project.

A key component of the workshop was the focused discussion of the technical requirements for each of the scenarios outlined. This segment facilitated a collaborative environment in which experts and end-users could exchange ideas, insights and feedback essential for refining the direction and focus of the project.