The Heraklion Pilot
The Heraklion Pilot
From Research to Implementation: The Heraklion Pilot
The Elefsis pilot, conducted on 16–17 March 2026, marks the successful completion of the first use-case execution within the Greek pilot schedule, a milestone that brings the SMAUG vision decisively closer to operational reality.
The Location
The Port of Heraklion, one of Greece’s most active passenger and commercial gateways, provided the ideal stage for the second Greek pilot. The Heraklion Port Authority enabled real-world operational testing by granting access to critical port infrastructure, allowing the SMAUG system to be deployed and validated under realistic conditions.
Following the Elefsis pilot, Heraklion faces underwater security vulnerabilities that standard surveillance systems cannot address. Although operationally different, both ports face similar underwater security threats that current systems, focused mainly on land and surface activities, fail to address. Past incidents in both locations highlight vulnerabilities related to illicit underwater activities such as concealed contraband, explosives, and unauthorised divers.
The Scenario
The objective: use the wrecks as staging points to discreetly transport contraband into the dockyard.
The pilot began with hydrophones, continuously monitoring the underwater environment to detect unauthorised activity near sensitive areas. These sensors, provided by the University of Piraeus Research Center/ Quantitative Analysis in Shipping Laboratory, form part of the pilot’s technological suite, which also includes UAVs, ROVs and sonar. Additional hydrophones supplied by the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid strengthened acoustic detection and signal analysis, improving anomaly identification.
When an underwater acoustic anomaly was detected, a UAV was dispatched to obtain an aerial view of the area, helping security personnel assess suspicious movements or vessel activity. At the same time, AIS data managed by ATHANOR supported situational awareness by correlating detected events with vessel identities and trajectories. For a more thorough verification, an ROV conducted a detailed underwater inspection, identifying concealed objects and cargo beyond the reach of conventional surveillance. The University of Piraeus Research Center/ Quantitative Analysis in Shipping Laboratory coordinated the integrated operation of all SMAUG components.
When suspicious activity was confirmed, security personnel received real-time alerts, prompting immediate responses. The Hellenic Coast Guard then intervened, leveraging SMAUG’s enhanced detection capabilities to address illegal activities within the busy cruise-port environment.
The Technologies
The Heraklion pilot brought together the same robust technological suite that was deployed at Elefsis, demonstrating the system’s scalability and adaptability across different port environments:
Hydrophones arrays
for continuous underwater acoustic
monitoring
UAV
for aerial visual verification
ROV
for detailed underwater inspection
AIS
vessel identification and correlation module
USV
(Unmanned Surface Vehicle) for surface-level support
Satellite
detection capabilities
