The scientists use autonomous vehicles to film below the surface of the sea, photographing and recording data on seagrass meadows. They also use sensors to measure different parameters such as the sea temperature, salinity and the presence of potentially dangerous substances.
The data collected will be fed into the data hubs used for modelling the distribution of algae and seagrasses to facilitate local management of ecosystem resources, Croatian project leader Mirta Smodlaka Tanković said.
Autonomous vessels allow us to collect data in real time from areas that would otherwise be difficult to access, and to collect more information in a shorter time, she said. That way we would be able to respond more quickly to possible threats in the future, she added.
The Brigantine project was launched in June 2024. It is funded by the European Union through the Interreg Italy-Croatia cross-border cooperation programme.
The consortium brings together experts from various scientific fields, including biologists, oceanographers and engineers. It was established by the University of Udine as the project leader, the Polytechnic University of Marche from Ancona, the Corila Consortium from Venice, the Ruđer Bošković Institute and the University of Zagreb's Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture.
The duration of the project is 30 months and its total value is €1.7 million.