WatchEDGE: AI and sensors to monitor wildlife in real time
The experimental phase of WatchEDGE, a focused project within the PNRR “RESTART” programme, has officially begun. Coordinated by Politecnico di Milano, the initiative aims to combine artificial intelligence, advanced sensors and innovative connectivity to support wildlife monitoring and sustainable land management.
The first test site is San Rossore Park (Pisa), where researchers are observing wild boars, deer, and wolves through AI-powered cameras, radar, drones, and Edge Computing systems. The goal: to provide practical tools for those operating in rural areas—farmers, foresters, park rangers—to address issues such as crop damage, disease transmission, wildfires, and environmental degradation.
The WatchEDGE infrastructure processes data in real time, even in remote locations, using advanced technologies such as SD-WAN, 5G Nomad, Federated Learning and smart sensors.
The project involves a consortium of eight partners: Politecnico di Milano, University of Pisa, University of Catania, University of Milan-Bicocca, Italtel, Nextworks, Sensor ID and CNIT RaSS, in collaboration with the San Rossore Regional Park Authority. Funded by NextGenerationEU, the project has a three-year duration and a total budget of €1 million.
New field trials are planned in the coming months. The final objective: to turn research into scalable technologies for agriculture, forestry, and environmental protection.