Fugro, a global leader in Geo-data, has announced a significant partnership with high-tech software company DTACT and AI-powered satellite intelligence specialist Ubotica. This collaboration aims to launch a unique data fusion and intelligence platform, with Ubotica providing critical real-time satellite intelligence to bolster maritime security, particularly for critical underwater infrastructure.

According to a press release from Fugro, the new platform is designed to equip governmental organizations with crucial information to enhance national security and protect vital subsea assets such as pipelines and communication cables. Ubotica’s contribution is central to this effort, as it will supply near real-time satellite vessel tracking data, leveraging its advanced AI-driven acquisition technologies.

Fintan Buckley, CEO of Ubotica, underscored the transformative potential of real-time intelligence for maritime situational awareness. He stated that the combined “space-to-seabed” surveillance and response capability being developed through this partnership is a “game-changer.” This integrated approach, bringing together insights from Ubotica with Fugro’s Geo-data and DTACT’s data fusion capabilities, promises enhanced maritime awareness and a near real-time response, which will be instrumental in securing critical underwater infrastructure for the future.

The platform will initially concentrate on serving governmental organizations in the North Sea and Baltic regions, areas of increasing strategic importance. Ubotica’s expertise in processing satellite data with artificial intelligence directly onboard satellites, a capability they have been developing with partners like the European Space Agency and NASA JPL since 2020, is a key enabler for this real-time intelligence. This “edge AI” processing reduces the need to send vast amounts of raw data back to Earth, allowing for quicker insights and decision-making for maritime operations.

By integrating Ubotica’s advanced satellite intelligence with Fugro’s comprehensive Geo-data from autonomous vessels and DTACT’s data fusion prowess, the partnership seeks to deliver a complete and unified intelligence picture. This holistic view will enable authorities to detect, identify, monitor, and act on suspicious maritime activities with unprecedented timeliness.