innovAtive Laser imAging technologies with extended Range for Maritime Surveillance – ALARMS

Even if the proposed technologies could be adapted to other domains, the ALARMS project addresses the growing need in surveillance of maritime borders by controlling and managing almost instantaneously and accurately all trade shipping, by monitoring the illicit trafficking, the terrorism operations, the clandestine immigration and the theft of resources, with the humanity and the objectivity imposed by the rules of European democracies. It is fully in line 3.9.4 "Border security" of the 2014 generic call for projects of the ANR.
The ALARMS project deals with industrial researches lasting 24 months and is based on a public -private partnership. It is a technology demonstration of 2D/3D-laser sensors and highly innovative image processing on active and passive optronic cameras in order to reach “high resolution” at a long range. All of the devices have being integrated into multi-sensor (optronic and radar) platforms used in coastal surveillance system. The ALARMS project addresses the maintenance of observation and identification of long distances (typically 2 nautical, about 4 km) in degraded weather conditions and responds to the challenge of observation under grazing incidences on the sea with optronic sensors.
First, the ALARMS project proposes quantitative assessments on the overall system performance of the respective contributions (standalone, coupled) of new laser sensors and innovative image processing methods, and secondly, aims to demonstrate the feasibility of integrating/coupling them into a system of optical-radar multi-sensors. The evaluation of these objectives is realized by an operational proof of concept and a validation of the performances by measurements performed on coastal sites with realistic awareness situations. The extrapolation of these performances on more complex or non-played scenarios will be achieved by benchmarked simulations.
The ALARMS project is supported by a multidisciplinary team of balanced ways between industrial partners (2 SMEs) and 2 research laboratories:
- Onera coordinates the project and is involved in the 2D/3D-laser platform (prototyping and signal processing). It manages all the modeling of all the optronic sensors. Onera supplies all ground truth tools for the tests and develops the image processing and multi-sensor fusion methods to be included in the platform.
- EXAVISION (SMEs) provides the other optronic (including a 2D-flash-Laser SWIR camera and a thermal camera with high performances) and radar sensors. Exavision is in charge of the integration (e.g. turret) and ensures the development of detection and automatic target tracking products.
- ISSM (SMEs) provides its expertise in the fields of maritime surveillance and security. It is in charge of the relation with the advisory committee comprising the French and European end-users. ISSM will have an upstream role (expression and specification of needs, definition of demonstration/validation phases) given its knowledge of the market but also bottom up actions (e.g. preparation of demonstration tests with end-users, future marketing on behalf of the consortium concept with large industrial players in the domain).
- The ICP will make a detailed study of all the rules and national, European and international requirements to be met to ensure the compliance of the new device with the laws and rules of safety, security and respect for privacy in the maritime area.
A committee of end-users will be involved at the beginning of the project and will participate in various phases. Their participation in other projects dealing with the maritime surveillance will offer us an expanded vision of operational needs and market prospects.