As part of the REMEDIES project, this activity was conducted by the Lighthouse partner VLPF in collaboration with REMEDIES partner MOH.
On April 23, 2025, a pilot test was carried out on the Island of Lazzaretto Nuovo in Venice to detect and classify marine litter using drone technology and citizen science tools. The initiative was led by Venice Lagoon Plastic Free (VLPF), in collaboration with the Poseidone Association, the Department of Computer Engineering at Mohamed I University (MOH) in Morocco, and the Lazzaretti Veneziani association. Both VLPF and MOH are partners in the REMEDIES project.
Using a DJI Mavic 30 Enterprise UAV, the team conducted three separate flight missions at 4, 6, and 10 meters altitude to collect high-resolution images for AI-based waste detection. The varied altitudes enabled precision in identifying different types of litter and assessing environmental context, building a robust training dataset for MOH’s artificial intelligence system.
These efforts were complemented by manual litter monitoring using the digital app developed by VLPF under REMEDIES, with technical support from INFORDATA. The app follows European monitoring protocols and generates EMODnet-compliant data, contributing to harmonised marine litter assessment.
The collected data will be processed by MOH’s AI model and uploaded to the REMEDIES platform under “aerial drone campaigns,” where it will be directly compared with EMODnet scientific monitoring outputs.
The Island of Lazzaretto Nuovo, with its minimal human activity, ecological value, and historic significance, provides an ideal setting for citizen science. As the only reclaimed Venetian island through a non-profit regeneration project, it hosts an eco-museum, the Ministry of Culture’s Archaeological Depot, and the natural saltmarsh trail “The Saltmarsh Path.” Its unique landscape continues to serve as a living lab for environmental education and sustainable research.
Read more at the VLPF website, here.
