SciTransfer
SPATRA · Project

Satellite-Driven Monitoring for Road Congestion and Railway Infrastructure Safety

transportTestedTRL 5

Imagine having a bird's-eye view that tells you exactly where trucks are stuck at borders and if railway tracks are getting too hot. It uses satellites and drones to spot traffic jams and predict when heat might warp train tracks. This helps transport managers avoid delays and prevent dangerous accidents before they happen.

By the numbers
7
consortium partners
5
countries involved
71%
industry ratio in consortium
The business problem

What needed solving

Land transport suffers from costly border congestion and dangerous railway track buckling caused by extreme temperatures, leading to delays and safety risks.

The solution

What was built

Two pilot systems: RPD for road traffic and parking monitoring using satellites/drones, and RWP for predicting rail temperature and buckling risk.

Audience

Who needs this

Logistics fleet managersRailway infrastructure managersBorder control authoritiesFreight transport companies
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Logistics and Freight
enterprise
Target: Freight and logistics operators

If you are a logistics operator dealing with unpredictable border delays — this project developed the Road Infrastructure Monitoring Pilot (RPD) that uses satellite and UAV data to optimize route planning and avoid congestion.

Railway Infrastructure
enterprise
Target: Rail track operators

If you are a rail operator dealing with heat-induced track buckling — this project developed the RailWay monitoring pilot (RWP) that predicts rail temperature zones to prevent train derailments.

Border Management
any
Target: Customs and border authority agencies

If you are a border agency dealing with truck congestion and parking shortages — this project developed a system using machine learning and drones to track truck flow and parking availability.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What is the cost or pricing for these services?

Based on available project data, specific pricing or cost structures are not provided as this is a research and innovation action.

Is this technology ready for industrial scale?

The project is developing two pilot systems (RPD and RWP) to be demonstrated in operational environments, indicating a transition toward industrial scale.

How is the IP and licensing handled?

Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not mentioned, but the project is coordinated by OHB Digital Services GmbH with a consortium of 7 partners.

How does this integrate with existing fleet management?

The project developed a system for in-truck EGNSS trackers specifically to improve the accuracy of vehicle tracking and fleet management.

What is the implementation timeline?

The project period is from 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31.

Consortium

Who built it

The consortium is heavily industry-driven with a 71% industry ratio, comprising 5 industrial partners and 2 universities across 5 countries. This strong commercial presence, led by OHB Digital Services GmbH and including 3 SMEs, suggests a high focus on practical application and market viability rather than purely academic research.

How to reach the team

Contact OHB Digital Services GmbH in Germany

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Contact us to explore licensing opportunities for the RPD and RWP pilot systems.

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