MKLab

Multimedia Knowledge and Social Media Analytics Laboratory

Τhe M4D/MKLab-ITI-CERTH Team breaks a new ground in autonomous surveillance and security measures in the presence of the General Secretary of the General Secretariat for Research & Innovation (GSRI), Athanasios Kyriazis

Nov 13, 2023
2 min read

On November 8, 2023, the Information Technologies Institute (ITI) of Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) was honored to host the General Secretary of the General Secretariat for Research & Innovation (GSRI), Athanasios Kyriazis. A key highlight of Kyriazis's visit was a comprehensive demonstration of a groundbreaking remote surveillance system for an autonomous swarm of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with enhanced cognitive capabilities.

P.1 Dr. Yiannis Kompatsiaris, Dr. Stefanos Vrochidis, Athanasios Kyriazis (from the left)

These technologies included are a collaborative innovation by M4D Group and ConvCAO Group. The demonstration marked a milestone for ITI's extended involvement and expertise in surveillance-related projects.

P.2 Demonstration of the Remote-Control Center of the UAV Surveillance system

The operator has the capacity to determine the number of UAVs to deploy and set various parameters such as speed, camera angle, and more. Leveraging advanced AI algorithms, the system estimates the most efficient flight pathways for each drone, ensuring effective area coverage.

The showcase system allows an operator to designate a surveillance area on a map, which could be located at any world point.

P.3 The Graphical User Interface of the Remote-Control Center (Choosepath)

P.4 Detection of the objects of interest by analyzing video stream in real-time

Once the mission is approved by the operator, the UAVs autonomously take off from their remote location, conduct the surveillance operation, and return to their starting points, all without the need for local intervention. The system also includes state-of-the-art AI algorithms, which are capable of analyzing the visual feed from the UAVs in real-time, identifying objects of interest tailored to an operator’s needs and according to the application.

Mr. Kyriazis's experience with the system was met with great enthusiasm, and he provided valuable feedback, underscoring the potential for further advancements in this cutting-edge technology.

The successful demonstration to the General Secretary is a confirmation of the innovative spirit and collaborative efforts at CERTH, paving the way for a new era in autonomous surveillance and security measures.