Leonardo was one of the main partners of the SAPERE project, led by the Aerospace Technology District and aimed at identifying a series of integrated tools and making them available to the Public Administration to protect public land, infrastructure, and urban assets.
The project is co-financed by the Apulia Region and the European Union, through the European Regional Development Fund, and is part of Priority Axis 1 "Research, technological development and innovation" of the Puglia Regional Operational Programme FESR - FSE 2014-2020. With an expected financial support of 69,557.22 euros, the activities started in 2020 and ended in 2022.
The main objective of the SAPERE project was to define and develop innovative solutions based on the use of images of the territory acquired via satellite and sensors transported on remotely piloted aircraft.
The processing and distribution of the information obtained will support the Municipal Administration of the city of Bari in the planning and management of action plans relating to land protection activities.
Leonardo collaborated in the SAPERE project through the creation of a joint Leonardo/Aerospace Technology District laboratory for aviation simulation in which a drone air navigation management system (UTM - Uncrewed Traffic Management) was tested within the "Very Low Level" airspace (below 500 feet).
This system will allow drone operators, and the Public Administration itself, to plan and perform missions in urban areas and, at the same time, to carry out training activities related to the rules governing drone traffic and flight authorisations, to guarantee the performance of air services in safe conditions.
The project also included a demonstration of drone-based services in an urban environment for land inspection.
The SAPERE project also envisages the establishment of the Drone Living Lab, to provide the Municipality of Bari with services based on aerospace technologies, with a view to a progressive transition of urban organisation towards a Smart City model.