AVIS Project Update: Second pilot on the Danube complted! Discover results here!
AVIS Workshop 3: A great success for automated inland navigation
AVIS Workshop 3: bringing Europe together to prove how EU Space Data makes automated inland navigation safer, smarter and ready for the future.cription.
7/9/20261 min read
On 2 July 2026, the AVIS project welcomed over 40 participants from across Europe for its third workshop, held online. Representatives from the European Commission, EUSPA, national and port authorities, waterway administrations, research institutes and industry joined the consortium for a lively exchange on how EU Space Data can support safe automated navigation on inland waterways. We are thrilled to report a great turnout and excellent discussions.
About AVIS
AVIS is an EC-funded project exploring how EU Space Data (Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus) can add value to automated vessel operations on Europe's inland waterways. Led by GMV, the project is now halfway through, with the prototype designed, implemented, and already validated in two pilots.
Key highlights
A solid technical approach. The AVIS prototype combines EGNSS, Copernicus and an integrated onboard ECDIS to deliver accurate positioning, real time alerts and reliable navigation support.
Promising pilot results. The Guadalquivir and Lower Danube pilots confirmed strong EGNSS accuracy, with Galileo OSNMA enabling authenticated navigation over 99.9% of the time and Copernicus alerts matching real river changes. Two more pilots on the Rhine, Moselle and Middle Danube will follow after the summer.
Progress on standardisation. AVIS is drafting a new standard on the minimum requirements for using EU Space Data in automated navigation, feeding into CESNI work and future regulation.
Strong stakeholder support. Interactive polls showed clear enthusiasm, with 100% of respondents saying they would welcome a standard for automated vessels using EU Space Data.
What's next for AVIS?
The prototype is being fine tuned ahead of the final two pilots, alongside several dissemination activities. The AVIS final event will take place at the DISC conference in Budapest on 2 and 3 December 2026.
The material used for this workshop can be found here.
