FAUNOS strategic goal is to combat organised environmental crime with improved prevention, detection and investigation resources in the hands of Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs). Such form of crime is highlighted as a top priority concern within the EU Security Union Strategy 2020-20253, being the third most lucrative criminal business in the world and the largest source of financing for non-state actors according to INTERPOL4. Consequences further involve devastating impacts to the economy, citizens wellbeing and the ecological balance of affected regions. To address this multifaceted threat, the new Environmental Crime Directive5 set out new offences, penalties and specific obligations to Members States to improve the effectiveness of the enforcement. Within its transnational public-private partnership, FAUNOS will implement a user-driven, technical and regulatory approach to assist Member States in the implementation of this Directive6.
The project specifically tackles waste and pollution crimes and will deliver innovative technical and technological resources, specialised training, anonymised statistical data on the reporting and investigation stages, as well as coordinative-cooperation mechanisms among competent authorities involved from regional to national and European level. To achieve this, FAUNOS will be based on outcomes and consortium partners stemming from (1) PERIVALLON(“Protecting the EuRopean terrItory from organised enVironmentAl crime through inteLLigent threat detectiON tools”) and (2) EMERITUS (“Environmental crimes’ intelligence and investigation protocol based on multiple data sources”) projects.
The technical solution consists of an integrated user-friendly platform enabling secure processing of multimodal data, including Copernicus satellite imagery, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) onboard sensors, open and private GIS-based services and historical records of criminal cases. Capabilities such as the automatic remote detection of waste disposal and pollutants on land and water, optimal UAV-based inspection and characterisation of sites of interest, dynamic prioritisation of incidents for further criminal investigation and identification of interconnections among criminal actors in organised crime networks will be adapted, deployed and tested. The platform will be integrated into the legacy infrastructure of Guardia Civil (GC), who will undergo a specialised CIFAL-M/UNITAR-certified training programme to accelerate the learning process and ensure a successful uptake of project results.
- Teacher: Carlos Seisdedos
Welcome to the PRESERVE C-UAV Training Programme, a specialized capacity-building initiative designed to equip European Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) with the advanced skills necessary to protect public spaces against the evolving threat of weaponized consumer drones and swarms
This course is part of the Horizon Europe PRESERVE project and offers a multidimensional shield approach. It moves beyond traditional isolated countermeasures, training you in the integrated use of the project’s key technologies: SECURE (Swarm-based C-UAS Arsenal), ODIN (Online Drone Intelligence Engine), and the PRESERVE Platform (Command & Control)
Here is the text drafted specifically for your Moodle virtual classroom, designed to be professional, engaging, and fully aligned with the syllabus and Grant Agreement obligations.
Key Features:
UNITAR Certification: This is a certified training programme, ensuring compliance with international quality standards
Hybrid Methodology: The curriculum combines theoretical modules with tabletop exercises (TTX), hands-on experience, and analysis of full-scale field exercises
4 .- Operational Relevance: Content is adapted from real-world Pilot Use Cases (PUCs), including scenarios such as autonomous swarm attacks on major sporting events and orchestrated weapons delivery in public gatherings.
Course Summary & Syllabus
This programme is structured into three progressive Tiers, taking you from foundational knowledge to advanced operational response and decision-making.
Tier 1: Foundation
Focus: Conceptual understanding of the threat landscape.
Module 1 – Introduction: Overview of PRESERVE’s role in EU security policy and the connection between research and operational capacity-building.
Module 2 – Terrorism & UAV Threat Landscape: Analysis of how terrorist tactics have evolved from individual drones to coordinated swarm attacks, including real-world incident analysis.
Module 3 – UAV Technology: Deep dive into the technological architecture of drones (AI-enabled, autonomous, swarms) and their capabilities for surveillance or payload delivery.
P1 – Platform & HMI Training (Practical): Training on the PRESERVE Platform (P3) and ODIN intelligence engine, including login procedures, simulations, and alert interpretation
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Tier 2: Countering UAS Terror Attacks
Focus: Legal frameworks and technical countermeasures.
Module 4 (theory) – Counter-UAS Strategies: Introduction to the multi-layered approach (prevention, detection, tracking, neutralization) and how PRESERVE solutions integrate into these strategies
10 10 10 10 .Module 5 (theory) – Legislation & Regulation: Navigating the complex EU and national legal landscapes governing UAV operations, interception, privacy frameworks, and ethical considerations
P2 – Swarm-Based Arsenal (Practical): Field demonstration with simulants using tools such as jammers, nets, interceptor drones, and directional sensors.
Focus: Coordination, decision-making, and management.
Module 6 – C-UAV Security Strategy: Practical application of decision-making models for rapid incident response. This module breaks down pilot cases to reconstruct operational scenarios and emphasizes inter-agency cooperation.
- P3 – Table-Top Exercises (TTX) (Practical knowledge): Interactive exercises to train participants to use HMI, ODIN, and analytics dashboards to interpret multimodal signals (RF, radar, video, audio)
. - P4 – Integration Tests (IT1/IT2) (Practical knowledge): Hands-on guided training with prototypes to enable participants to recognize system outputs and provide feedback
. - P3 P5 – FSX Preparation (Practical knowledge): Preparation for full-scale exercises (FSX1 & FSX2), training communication, deployment roles, and safety protocols for real pilot execution.
Target Audience: Law Enforcement Agents and security experts.
Evaluation: Continuous assessment based on the UNITAR quality framework.
