ORCA

ORCA is an innovative maritime surveillance initiative designed to detect, localize, and analyze radiofrequency anomalies across coastal and open-sea regions. The project combines a distributed network of smart buoys equipped with Software Defined Radios (SDRs) and satellite-based communication to identify potential electronic threats such as jamming, spoofing, or uncooperative transmissions.

Each buoy operates autonomously, continuously monitoring the electromagnetic spectrum and sharing data with nearby nodes. When an abnormal signal is detected, multiple buoys cooperate through triangulation and time-of-arrival analysis to determine the source’s position with high precision. The results are transmitted via secure satellite links to a coastal command center, where information is fused with AIS tracks and Earth observation data for further verification.

By integrating oceanic, terrestrial, and space-based assets, ORCA provides a resilient early-warning capability against hybrid and electronic warfare at sea. The system strengthens maritime situational awareness, supports anti-piracy and border-protection missions, and contributes to safeguarding Europe’s strategic communication infrastructure.