This week marked an exciting new chapter for the ODYSSEUS project and its railway-related activities with the official start of the first implementation phase of the pilot tests. Several innovative technologies developed within the project were tested in a railway operational environment in Ungheni at the border between Romania and Moldova:
- Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) assisted person detection with thermal and high-resolution cameras
- Digital and virtual passport integration
- AI-powered continuous behavioural authentication
- Multi-modal fusion decision support systems
As railway pilot test task leader, the UIC Security Department, represented by Grigore Havarneanu and Kacper Kubrak, ensured that the needs of the rail sector in cross-border operations were fully considered. The UIC team was also directly involved in the planning and jointly organising the event along with the pilot test host, the Romanian Border Police.
The tests were conducted in real-life conditions on a passenger train, with three operational scenarios allowing the Romanian Border Police to test the proposed ODYSSEUS solutions.
The first scenario focused on verifying traveller identities inside the train using handheld devices, enabling officers to perform checks directly at passenger seats. The second scenario involved identity verification outside the train in the border guard booths, which were equipped with fixed systems.
Finally, the third scenario tested the detection of unauthorised individuals concealed outside the train using UAV technology, showcasing the ability to extend surveillance capabilities beyond the immediate vicinity of border checkpoints.
This activity marked significant progress for the project, and the outcomes of this phase are highly anticipated. The ODYSSEUS solutions will now undergo evaluation against performance metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure their impact on rail border crossing operations.
The second implementation phase of the rail pilot test is planned for summer 2025 and will also involve external observers.
Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement N°101073910.
You can follow ODYSSEUS on Twitter/X (@odysseus_heu), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/odysseusproject-heu/), and via the project website https://odysseusproject.eu/.
