1. SATELLITE TECHNOLOGIES TO SERVE MARITIME OPERATIONS
Dr Christos Papachristos
Sales Manager SE & E. Europe, Hellas Sat
28 June 2011

2. AIM
Provide new low cost technologies to support Maritime Security Operations
Solutions that need to be evaluated for future low cost maritime applications

3. Typical Satellite Network System Architecture
Headquarters
Mobile Terminal

4. The Problem
Protecting national sea borders and controlling cross border traffic are two very complex and challenging tasks
The deployment of helicopters, aeroplanes and coastguard ships offer a reliable solution but are restricted by extreme weather conditions and high cost
The deployment of a network of smart buoys for continuous monitoring of sea borders seems to be a cost effective solution due to:
Low cost for the deployment of the Network
Low cost for operation and maintenance
Robust solution for 24h continuous monitoring

5. The Proposed Solution
A national border control wireless network of floating platforms will serve as a network of real-time information acquisition
Additional nodes of the network may include Unmanned Surface Vehicles and UAVs for specific designed surveillance or search and rescue missions.
Sensor data are transferred to a centralised command and control centre via secured satellite communication links

6. Smart Buoy/ USV/ UAV Integrated system
Secure Satellite Communication Links
Hellas-Sat Space Centre
Coast guard Ship
Sea Border Command and Control Centre
Artemis Smart Buoy
Unmanned Surface Vehicle
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

7. 2-4 K€ per month The Network Satellites sell Analogue BW
To exploit it, need Ground stn i.e. Tx, Rx stns (SCPS, Hub-spoke)
Depending on modcod Mbps squeezed into MHz approx. 1,5-2 Mbps to 1 MHz, uncontented info rate
Example: Need to built a network of buoys, USVs, UAVs
Little thought here: FWD beam underutilised, mainly RTs from sensors
How much info? Will they be Tx simultaneously? No!
256K clean capacity is more than enough for real time video
Say we use K RT carriers + FWD beam
So end up with 1 MHz
2-4 K€ per month

8. The Network A scalable network – includes units on demand
Satellite capacity can be used on a MF-TDMA mode  efficiency
Data, Video, Images can be transmitted at low cost
A moderate link of about 256Kbps symmetric can send and receive real time video, images and data all at once.
Example: A control center in Souda is connected to 30 buoys on a permanent basis, 2 UAVs and 2 USVs on an ad-hoc basis
Each buoy capacity requirements absorbs approx 256 Kbps dedicated BW – MF TDMA permits 2 carriers for 30 buoys
Each USV and UAV require 512 Kbps carriers each when on patrol
Total FW BW from Sensors: 1,5 Mbps
Total RT BW from CC: 256 Kbps
Total cost of satellite BW: approx Euros/month
BW can be allocated to all sensors on demand!

9. Spectral Efficiency
MF-TDMA on the RT allows group of terminals to communicate using a set of carrier frequencies divided into time slots
Each RT carrier is TDMA’d between sensors
If nothing to transmit, next sensor Tx and so on

10. Spectral Efficiency FWD carrier RT carriers
Forward traffic to the individual user is multiplexed into a conventional DVB/MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 broadcast stream at the Hub and relayed to the terminals

11. Unmanned Surface Vehicles
USVs act as moving nodes within the Smart Buoy network able to exchange information with the buoys via the central command and control centre. The USVs can offer a relatively low-cost approach for
Incident Inspection
Border surveillance missions
Search and Rescue missions
Information gathering missions

12. USV IR Camera Stabilised 360o Video Camera
RF / Satellite Communication
Environmental Sensors
Microphone and Loudspeaker
Lase Ranging
Towed Side Scan Sonar
Towed Magnetometer
Sub Bottom Profiler
Inspection vehicle
Sensor Processing Units
Chemical Sensors
Radiation Sensors
Single Beam Echo Sounder
HF Multi Beam Echo Sounder
Side Scan Sonar

13. UAV
Planar Phased Array Antenna

14. Smart Buoy Characteristics
Height: 5 -7 m above sea surface
Diameter: ~ 6m
Buoyancy: According to Application and payload
Power: Hybrid power system based on Photovoltaic and diesel power generator.
Autonomy: Infinite
Anchorage: According to deployment location
Payload:
Surface radar
Infrared Cameras
Hydrophones
Sensors
Sea Level
Electronics
Sensors and Hydrophones
Top View of Buoy

15. Remote Monitoring Capabilities
Real-time on-demand thermal image streaming
Real-time on-demand Radar Image streaming
Real-time access to sensor data
Access and process of historical data
Continuous sensor data flow for border control mission management
Smart Buoy data fusion for search and rescue mission management
Border control and intrusion alert management

16. A relative low-cost Solution
Unit Price (€)
Cost Factors
Buoy K
Payload, size, sensors, info rate
USV/UAV
500 K - some Millions
Command/Control Centre K
Building, uplink, personnel, autonomy
Sat Marine Terminal
3-20 K
Satellite used, antenna size, modem technology, clients
Gateway/Hub
Technology, licenses, processing power, routers, redundancy
Capacity MHz
2 -4 K /month
Satellite power, redundancy, coverage, band, amount of capacity, duration
Capacity Mbps
approx. 3K
SLA, availability, network duration, amount of capacity, customer credibility

17. Current Technology / Environmental Monitoring
Artemis II is based on the technology developed for the environmental smart buoy Artemis I. The buoy is the result of joint Research and Development of the following::
Hellas-Sat: Satellite Secure Communications / High Speed Internet
Smart Ocean Technologies: Buoy Construction / System Integration
Mar. In. E.M.: Naval Design / Technical Support / Operations
SignalGeneriX Ltd: Powering and Electronics

18. Current Technology / Environmental Monitoring
Applications
Environmental Parameters / Sensors
Water Quality monitoring
Ph, turbidity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, etc
Wave, current & tide real time monitoring for emergency respond
Wind speed and direction, current and wave profiling
Offshore oil and gas pollution monitoring
Oil concentration in water measurement
Search and Rescue missions
Wind speed and direction, water temperature, current and wave profiling, localisation
Security and Border Control
Acoustic and Visual monitoring of selected areas

19. Smart Buoy Artemis I

20. Smart Buoy Artemis I

21. Satellite based AIS integration
Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a shipboard broadcast system that transmits a vessel's identification, position and other critical data that can be used to assist in navigation and improve maritime safety
Most current terrestrial-based AIS systems provide only limited coverage nearby shorelines and are not able to provide global open ocean coverage.
Other Users

22. SATELLITE TECHNOLOGIES TO SERVE MARITIME OPERATIONS
Dr Christos Papachristos
Sales Manager, Hellas Sat