MONI.CA project update: the framework for smart 3D Pollution Monitoring is now available

In the first half-year of the MONI.CA project - Monitoring Air Quality along the Adriatic, funded by Interreg Italy-Croatia with RIT Croatia as a leading partner, the important groundwork was laid for developing a progressive autonomous system featuring a solar glider and a drone. This system, designed to be innovative, portable, and cost-effective, aims to monitor air pollutants in cities, gathering valuable data to inform evidence-based policies and inspire behavior changes to lessen the environmental impact of human activities.

The main goal of the MONI.CA project is to contribute to addressing air quality-related issues and support air quality assessment and monitoring activities in Croatia and Italy. Additionally, the project aims to establish cross-border pilot activities for air monitoring in urban areas using smart technologies.

By cooperating closely, project partners clarified the concept and its workings, pinpointed monitoring areas, and conducted tests to gather data for validation purposes. They carefully selected and calibrated a suite of sensors for measuring air pollutants. During this testing phase, they focused on ensuring smooth data acquisition and communication between the drones and the on-ground system.

The "Air MONItoring aCross Adriatic - MONI.CA" project will be implemented over 18 months, and it represents an important contribution to environmental preservation and public health in the Adriatic Sea region, and it is funded by the Interreg Italy-Croatia 2021-2027 program, under Priority 2: Green and Resilient Common Environment, with a total amount of EUR 213,384.12, of which the EU finances 80% of the project's total value.

Read more about the progress of the project directly at the MONI.CA website HERE