Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, has published a new report examining how Earth Observation (EO) technologies can support national authorities managing the EU’s external borders. “Earth Observation for Border Management” explores where satellite and airborne data add most value for border surveillance, where gaps remain and which trends will shape future capabilities.
EO is the process of gathering information about the Earth – for example, its surface, seas and atmosphere – using remote-sensing technologies such as satellites. The data are processed and analysed to monitor environmental and human activity over large areas and long periods of time. Europe’s Copernicus programme delivers satellite imagery that together with information from in-situ, air- and sea-borne sensors provides this kind of information for public authorities.
The new Frontex study looks at how EO can help border and coast guard authorities see and understand what is happening at and beyond their borders. It describes the main EO sensors (including optical, radar, thermal and radio-frequency monitoring) and platforms (satellites, unmanned aerial vehicles and high-altitude platforms), and assesses their strengths and limitations for border work.
Six detailed use cases show how EO is already being used in practice – from maritime surveillance, vessel detection and coastal and pre-frontier monitoring to tracking cross-border crime, supporting land-border surveillance and monitoring irregular migration. For each area, the report sets out user needs, examples from operations and a SWOT analysis, helping readers understand where EO can realistically support patrols, investigations and search-and-rescue efforts.
As the security environment becomes more complex – with organised crime adapting quickly, increasing migratory pressure on some routes and the growing risk of cyber-attacks and interference with information systems – the study also examines the limitations of EO and the challenges of integrating it with other sources of intelligence. It highlights the importance of data protection, the ethical use of space data and resilience against hybrid threats, in line with EU and international law.
Dinesh Rempling, Director of the Capability Transformation Division at Frontex, said: “Earth observation will never replace officers on the ground or at sea, but it can give them a much better picture of what is happening before they deploy. This report is about helping national authorities understand where satellite and airborne data can genuinely support their operations – from detecting suspicious vessels and cross-border crime to planning search and rescue and protecting fundamental rights.”
Frontex has been entrusted by the European Commission to provide and further develop the Copernicus Border Surveillance Service (CBSS), which uses Earth observation data to support EU Member States in tackling irregular migration and cross-border crime. The findings of the new report draw on this operational experience and are intended to inform future evolutions of CBSS and related services.
The study is aimed at border and coast guard authorities, policymakers and researchers across the European Border and Coast Guard community and beyond. It provides a common reference on the state of EO for border management today and outlines technological and policy trends that will influence how these capabilities develop over the coming years. The report also complements the Strategic Research Agenda for Copernicus Security Services, prepared jointly by Frontex, the Joint Research Centre and other entrusted entities.
The report Earth Observation for Border Management is available on the Frontex website.
