Coastal erosion monitoring: space meets the local area through the SENSE-MAP project by NeMeA Sistemi

How can we monitor the environment in a truly effective way? Today, the challenge of environmental protection and sustainability at a local level calls for precise solutions, especially when it comes to fragile ecosystems such as our coastlines. The SENSE-MAP project It was created specifically to meet this need, offering an integrated approach that combines the ‘bird’s-eye view’ provided by satellites with data collected directly in the field.

From scientific collaboration to operational infrastructure

The initiative is the result of a strategic partnership between NeMeA Sistemi and the academic world, represented by Professors Andrea Benedetto and Valerio Gagliardi of theRoma Tre University. Developed between May 2025 and last February, SENSE-MAP has turned theory into operational practice by developing algorithms specifically designed to process data from the Sentinel-2 mission (Copernicus programme – ESA). The system manages the entire data chain:

  • Collection and standardisation of satellite data;
  • Complex processing using dedicated algorithms;
  • Displaying the outputs, making the data accessible and understandable.

This technology realises its full potential when validated against the physical world. To this end, each feature has undergone rigorous methodological calibration, cross-referencing spatial data with surveys carried out directly in the field. This process ensures that the system offers the highest levels of data consistency, analytical reliability and accuracy in monitoring of coastal erosion.

To host and integrate this vast amount of information, NeMeA has developed a digital infrastructure based on the WebGIS ecosystem, creating a scalable and modular GIS architecture that enables every component of the system to interact seamlessly.

A new generation of monitoring

The result is SENSE-MAP: a tool that demonstrates how the synergy between remote data and in situ measurements can lead to a new generation of monitoring systems – more accurate, efficient and comprehensive – ready to support land conservation and the management of environmental resources.

English (UK)