The 2nd International In-Person Meeting of the ECOMARIS Project – a territorial cooperation project led by the ECOAQUA University Institute of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) with the support of the INTERREG MAC 2021–2027 Programme – held this week in Puerto del Rosario, Fuerteventura, thanks to the hosting efforts of the Fuerteventura Biosphere Reserve – also a project partner, under the authority of the Fuerteventura Island Council – concluded today with a flight demonstration of two drones in Puerto Lajas: the DJI Matrice 350 RTK and the DJI Matrice 400.
The drones, equipped with RGB sensors (DJI Zenmuse P1), LiDAR (DJI Zenmuse L3), thermal imaging (DJI Zenmuse H20T), multispectral sensors and the Micasense P triple 15-channel system, are an advanced and vital tool for this scientific initiative, aimed at collecting coastal samples using the various sensors on board these unmanned aerial vehicles and thereby improving the detection and mapping of habitats and species along the Canary Islands’ coastline, whilst adapting methodologies to the islands’ specific environmental and geomorphological conditions.
Marlene Figueroa, the Councillor for Ecological Transition and Environmental Sustainability at the Fuerteventura Island Council, Antonio Gallardo, the director of the Fuerteventura Biosphere Reserve, alongside representatives of the project partners and the media during the drone flight.
This demonstration, which forms part of the project’s activities aimed at increasing the availability and quality of spatial data on marine habitats through integrated approaches using innovative methodologies, took place following the closing session at the Fuerteventura Training and Conference Centre, marking the end of the working sessions of the event, which featured several meetings between project partners and a series of training workshops.
Marlene Figueroa, the Councillor for Ecological Transition and Environmental Sustainability at the Fuerteventura Island Council, has highlighted a meeting in which the Fuerteventura Biosphere Reserve is participating alongside its other international partners. “A series of conferences that concludes with a workshop demonstrating how new technologies enable us to protect our coastline and find solutions to the environmental challenges we face.”
Marlene Figueroa, the Councillor for Ecological Transition and Environmental Sustainability at the Fuerteventura Island Council, and Tony Gallardo, the Director of the Fuerteventura Biosphere Reserve.
Isidoro Quintero, Managing Director of Tecnofly, explained that the use of drones makes it possible to combine biological information gathered in the field with data captured by these aerial devices, with the aim of improving the physiographic and ecological characterisation of the coastal environment and laying the foundations for its application in other island territories.
One of the drones used in the flight demonstration.
The use of drones makes it possible to combine biological information gathered in the field with data captured by these aerial devices, with the aim of improving the physiographic and ecological characterisation of the coastal environment and laying the foundations for its application in other island territories.
Cutting-edge sampling technology
The drones are operated by Tecnofly, one of the project partners, which describes itself as a comprehensive provider of advanced aerial remote sensing, specialising in the acquisition, integration and processing of ultra-high-precision geospatial data.
To tackle the most demanding projects, the company deploys a fleet of high-performance aircraft, notably systems such as the DJI Matrice 350 – an exceptionally robust and versatile drone designed for critical technical missions – and the DJI Matrice 400, a state-of-the-art platform offering superior stability and an expanded payload capacity.
The spectators watch one of the drones in flight.
The scope and specialisation of Tecnofly’s activities are structured around the advanced sensor technology integrated into its platforms:
On the one hand, inspection and photogrammetry (RGB sensors) using high-definition cameras that provide images of extraordinary clarity. This technology forms the cornerstone for detailed visual analysis, the digitisation of infrastructure and the precise monitoring of civil engineering works.
Furthermore, agronomic and environmental characterisation (15-channel dual multispectral sensors) involves capturing specific bands of the electromagnetic spectrum to assess the phenological state of vegetation, analyse substrates and optimise decision-making in precision agriculture and ecological research.
It also incorporates aerial spectroscopy (hyperspectral sensors), recording hundreds of continuous bands to obtain precise spectral signatures. This capability enables the differentiation of materials at a chemical level, the classification of complex plant species, and the monitoring of water quality or the presence of pollutants with scientific-grade rigour.
And finally, advanced surveying (LiDAR sensors) involving automated flights using 3D laser scanner technology. Its ability to penetrate vegetation cover enables the generation of Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) and Digital Surface Models (DSMs) with centimetre-level resolution, which are essential for infrastructure design and land management.
To ensure the maximum reliability of its empirical models, Tecnofly does not limit its activities to the air. The company completes the data-collection cycle by actively participating in on-site sampling, such as intertidal assessment campaigns.
This integration of field verification with the data captured by its remote sensors ensures robust, objective results with high added value for researchers, engineers and land managers.
This flight demonstration brought the 2nd ECOMARIS International Meeting to a close; the event, which began on Tuesday 23 June, featured a series of meetings to present the progress made to date within the project and to agree on the main lines of action for continuing to advance towards the objectives in the coming months.
Training workshops
The event also featured three workshops. The first training workshop, entitled ‘Underwater noise, passive acoustic monitoring and applications for marine management’, covered the fundamentals of underwater noise and passive acoustic monitoring, including the use of hydrophones, mooring design, acoustic data acquisition and its application in scientific studies, marine conservation, marine spatial planning and management support tools.
The second of the three scheduled workshops was entitled ‘Preparation of geographic data and metadata for integration into Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI) and to support decision-making’ and focused on the preparation, standardisation and documentation of scientific geographic data for integration into Spatial Data Infrastructures, thereby enhancing its availability, traceability, interoperability and use in decision-support tools.
A picture of one of the drone workshops.
The third and final workshop took place today, Friday 26 June, prior to the drone flight demonstration, under the title ‘Drones, on-board sensors and geospatial data for coastal and marine observation’. This session explored the main potential applications of drones in coastal and island environments, including the acquisition of images and data, information processing, the generation of cartographic products, and their usefulness for environmental monitoring, habitat monitoring, coastal management and decision-making support.
Two more photos from the drone workshops.
ECOMARIS aims to promote the blue economy and the sustainability of the coastal and marine environment on islands, through capacity building, the application of advanced technologies and the improvement of the information available to support decision-making.
Project participants
The 11 partners participating in the project, representing each of the regions, are:
Canary Islands:
-University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, through ECOAQUA.
-Fuerteventura Island Council, through the Biosphere Reserve.
-elittoral Estudios de ingeniería costera y oceanográfica SLNE.
-Tecnofly Canarias, S.L.
Azores, Portugal:
-Regional Secretariat for the Sea and Fisheries: Regional Directorate for Fisheries.
-Regional Directorate for Maritime Policies.
Madeira, Portugal:
-Regional Secretariat for Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment.
-ARDITI – Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation.
-University of Madeira.
Cape Verde:
-BIOSFERA 1 – Association for the Defence of the Environment.
São Tomé and Príncipe:
-Association of Friends of the Príncipe Island Biosphere Reserve (AARBIP).