ARIES Project

The project aims to develop an integrated and cooperative system for real-time oceanographic data collection, combining aerial, surface, and underwater autonomous vehicles coordinated through a common platform supported by Artificial Intelligence algorithms. This cooperative system also seeks to equip the Autonomous Region of Madeira (RAM) with an advanced technological infrastructure for environmental monitoring, supporting scientific research and decision-making in strategic areas such as maritime safety, biodiversity conservation, pollution control, and marine resource management.

Regarding the specific objectives, the project focuses on the integration of different platforms (aerial, surface, and underwater) into a single cooperative system capable of operating in a coordinated manner with high levels of autonomy and adaptability, enabling efficient data collection. It also aims to enhance the detection, tracking, and analysis of ocean surface phenomena such as plumes, sargassum, pollution, marine fauna, and physical-chemical changes.

Another specific objective is the strengthening of RAM’s technological capabilities through the modernization of existing infrastructure and the integration of new sensors and communication channels between robotic systems. The recruitment and training of technicians and researchers in the fields of electronic engineering, aerospace engineering, computer science, and oceanography is also a key objective of the project, ensuring the operation, maintenance, and continuous evolution of the developed system. In addition, the project seeks to reinforce institutional and scientific collaboration by fostering partnerships with national and international public and private entities.

Finally, the ARIES project will contribute to consolidating the strategic position of RAM as a territory of excellence in ocean research based on autonomous technologies, promoting sustainable economic development within the Blue Economy framework, and reinforcing the Region’s role as a privileged platform for the testing, validation, and application of innovative technological solutions in the Atlantic.

This project is aligned with the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):