UASUV 2017 Med Unmanned Vehicles Technology | Page 37

Dr. Vassilios MOUSSAS
Associate Professor,
Hellenic Institute for Strategic Studies - (HEL.I.S.S.)
Dr Vassilios C. Moussas received his Diploma in Electr. Engineering and his Ph.D. in Computer
Engineering from the Univ. of Patras, Greece. He also received his M.Sc. in Data Communications
Systems from Brunel University of London UK. He worked for four (4) years as researcher with the EC
Joint Research Centre at Ispra-VA, Italy, and, for nine (9) years as Network & Web Services
Administrator of the TEI campus network. He is currently Associate Professor with the department of
Civil & Surveying / Geoinformatics Engineering of the Tech. Educ. Inst. (TEI) of Athens. He is the author
of 3 textbooks in computer programming & optimization, and over 50 publications in journals and
conferences. His main research interests focus on the NDE, SHM, noise/anomaly detection, tracking &
prediction of signals, processes or anomalies in networks and structures, and, process modelling &
optimization, using multi-model partitioning, GA, or other adaptive and AI/heuristics techniques.
"Coastal Transport Optimization and the Future Role of USV Networks"
The problem of designing Coastal Transport Systems is a multi-level and/or multi-stage problem
consisting of several interconnected stages such as: the geometry of the network, the routes serviced,
the schedules and frequency of service, the ship allocation, and other operational issues. In addition
there is always a number of stakeholders involved having different goals, i.e. the state, the ship owners,
the local community, the merchants, etc. Optimization of such complex systems is usually performed on
a per season/year basis and it is very difficult to adapt in time to a new condition or demand.
A proposed method to overcome such difficulties is to adopt the techniques and lessons learned from
other disciplines such as: computer networks, package track ing systems and delivery services, where,
the key element is the automated courier/carrier. For short distances, such as in a city, UAVs have been
already tested to build a flexible delivery/transportation network that could instantly adapt to achieve
its goals. For larger areas and distances especially when coasts and islands are present USV's are the
only promising solution.
USVs transfer much larger payload at a much lower risk & cost than any other unmanned vehicle. In
Greece, the extremely high number of islands and coastal cities, combined with the favoring
environmental conditions, offer an ideal field to develop and implement an adaptive Coastal
Transportation Network using USVs, that will be able to function complementary to the classic
coastal/sea connection lines.