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The GeoNetSee workshop was held on 11–12 June 2026 at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), Hungary, bringing together national and international project partners, stakeholders, and representatives of relevant regional organizations to review the achievements of the GeoNetSee project (https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/geonetsee), an AI- and IoT-based system of GEOsensor NETworks for real-time monitoring of unstable terrain and artificial structures.

 

The event provided a forum for presenting pilot activities, exchanging practical experiences, and discussing pathways for strengthening future cooperation across the Danube Region.

The main objectives of the workshop were to present the current development status of the GeoNetSee monitoring system, to share experiences from pilot implementations, to demonstrate its technological background, and to identify opportunities for long-term cooperation and sustainability.

 

Throughout the sessions, participants contributed to discussions on system development, operational experiences, and the integration of innovative monitoring approaches into regional risk management frameworks (Fig. 1).

 

Strong International Participation

 

The workshop was attended by representatives of 23 institutions from 11 countries, participating both in person and online. Participants included project partners, research institutions, universities, geological surveys, public authorities, infrastructure operators, technology providers, and regional cooperation stakeholders.

 

The represented countries were Hungary, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Bulgaria.

 

Stakeholders present included representatives from academic and research organisations, government ministries and public bodies, transport and infrastructure operators, geological services, monitoring technology companies, as well as the Danube Region Programme (represented by Katalin Kasza-Kovács), which provides project funding, and organisations involved in the initiatives of the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR).

 

 

From Research to Real-Time Monitoring

 

The workshop began with participant registration, followed by the opening session and welcome remarks delivered by Szabolcs Rózsa, GeoNetSee Project Manager and Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. The opening session was followed by a thematic block dedicated to the overall concept and progress of the GeoNetSee project, providing an overview of recent developments and current research directions within the consortium. Speakers presented the overall concept and development progress of the system, pilot activities across different countries, and field experiences and operational challenges (Fig. 2). Particular attention was given to the integration of GNSS and InSAR technologies for assessing slope instability.

 

The first session of the workshop featured the presentation titled “GeoNetSee: From Research to Real-Time Landslide Monitoring,” delivered by Kruna Ratković (MoDrone, Montenegro). The talk provided an overview of the project’s objectives, highlighting the transition from research activities toward practical, operational monitoring solutions. It also emphasized the importance of real-time landslide monitoring in strengthening risk assessment capabilities and improving resilience in areas exposed to geohazards.

 

The programme also included a session focusing on GeoNetSee in practice, covering pilot sites, field experience, and stakeholder cooperation. Presentations provided insight into the diverse implementation environments across the Danube Region and highlighted the technical and operational challenges associated with monitoring applications. Anastasija Božić and Zoran Sušić (University of Novi Sad, Serbia) introduced the project’s pilot sites, followed by Danilo Đokić (University of Belgrade, Serbia), who discussed system operation under field conditions and demonstrated the practical functioning of the developed monitoring solution. Marina Rakočević (University of Montenegro) presented experiences from Montenegro’s landslide monitoring network, with particular emphasis on field implementation and administrative challenges.

 

The session also featured a presentation on “Slope Instability at Hungarian Danube Riverside Sites: Integrated GNSS and InSAR Monitoring of Landslide Hazard,” delivered by Ákos Török and Szabolcs Rózsa (BME, Hungary). This contribution demonstrated the application of integrated monitoring approaches for detecting and assessing slope instability risks, highlighting the role of advanced geodetic and remote sensing techniques in modern hazard assessment.

 

 

Technology, Innovation, and AI Applications

 

The workshop continued with a block dedicated to the technology behind the GeoNetSee monitoring system, presenting key aspects of its structure, operational principles, and implementation in real-world environments.

 

Marko Simeunović (MoDrone, Montenegro) introduced how the GeoNetSee system works, explaining its architecture and operational logic, followed by Dejan Jokić (International Burch University, Bosnia and Herzegovina), who provided a technical overview of the platform’s core components and development framework.

 

The session concluded with the presentation “From Dashboards to Conversation: An AI Use Case – Supporting Access to Monitoring Data with Conversational UX,” delivered by Csaba Sándor (SURVIOT Monitoring, Hungary), highlighting how artificial intelligence can improve access to monitoring data and support user interpretation through more intuitive interaction with complex datasets.

 

 

Building a Regional Monitoring Network

 

The workshop programme continued with a thematic block focusing on the Danube Collaborative Center (DCC) and its role in establishing a regional risk monitoring network. Presentations highlighted the importance of cooperation between research institutions, public authorities, and infrastructure stakeholders in developing a coordinated approach to risk monitoring across the Danube Region.

 

Domen Turk (Geological Survey of Slovenia) presented “Connecting Experts and Institutions for Safer Infrastructure,” emphasizing the role of institutional collaboration, followed by Mirza Ponjavić (International Burch University, Bosnia and Herzegovina), who introduced “DCC Training and Knowledge Exchange for Stakeholders,” focusing on capacity building, knowledge transfer, and stakeholder engagement.

 

The following session addressed the future directions and long-term sustainability of the project (Fig. 3). A panel discussion titled “How Can GeoNetSee Support Future Risk Monitoring in the Region?” was moderated by Szabolcs Rózsa (BME, Hungary), with contributions from Jasna Šinigoj (Geological Survey of Slovenia), Daniel Elias (Nast Consulting, Austria), János Szanyi (University of Szeged, Hungary), and László Podolszki (Geological Survey of Croatia). 

 

The discussion focused on the future role of GeoNetSee in supporting regional risk monitoring, exploring potential applications beyond the project lifetime and emphasizing the importance of continued cooperation among stakeholders.

 

 

Cooperation within the Danube Strategy

 

The workshop programme continued with a session focusing on the role of GeoNetSee within the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), highlighting its potential as a flagship initiative supporting regional cooperation and future development. Presentations emphasized the importance of coordinated approaches to infrastructure safety, environmental monitoring, and resilience across the Danube Region.

 

Iustina Popescu (Geological Institute of Romania) introduced opportunities for cooperation within the EUSDR framework, followed by contributions from representatives of several Priority Areas, who highlighted perspectives on regional collaboration, risk monitoring, and climate resilience.

 

The final part of the first day was dedicated to the overall progress of the GeoNetSee project, providing a comprehensive overview of ongoing activities. Presentations addressed scientific and technical achievements (Vladimir Rajović, University of Belgrade, Serbia), communication activities (Marina Davidović Manojlović, University of Novi Sad, Serbia), financial aspects (Jana Veličković, University of Belgrade, Serbia), and future collaboration opportunities (László Podolszki, Geological Survey of Croatia), reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of the project and its broad stakeholder engagement. Additional contributions explored innovative approaches to climate change adaptation and presented the governance framework of the Danube Collaborative Center (Domen Turk, Geological Survey of Slovenia).

 

The first day concluded with closing remarks summarizing the main outcomes and highlighting future perspectives. In the evening, participants attended a networking dinner, providing an opportunity for informal exchange and further strengthening collaboration among project partners.

 

 

Field Demonstration at the Hungarian Pilot Site

 

The second day of the workshop focused on GeoNetSee pilot actions and field implementation activities, providing participants with a practical insight into the system under real conditions (Fig. 4). The programme began at the BME K Building, from where participants travelled to the Hungarian pilot site at Anna Hill (Törökbálint).

 

The visit provided insight into local slope stability challenges and the applied monitoring approaches, including integrated geodetic and geophysical methods used for landslide hazard assessment.

 

During the visit, participants had the opportunity to observe the monitoring environment on site, discuss technical solutions, and exchange experiences related to infrastructure monitoring and slope stability assessment. The field activity supported knowledge transfer among project partners and contributed to the practical validation of the GeoNetSee approach (Fig. 6).

 

Strengthening Future Cooperation

 

The GeoNetSee workshop highlighted the strategic importance of developing a coordinated, real-time monitoring framework for geohazards across the Danube Region. By integrating advanced geodetic and remote sensing technologies, the project contributes directly to improving the safety and resilience of critical infrastructure exposed to landslides and slope instability.  For Hungary, the presented pilot activities demonstrate how innovative monitoring solutions can be applied in practice to support infrastructure operators and public authorities in risk assessment and decision-making processes, particularly in areas affected by increasing climate-related hazards. At the regional level, GeoNetSee fosters cross-border cooperation between research institutions, public authorities, and industry stakeholders, contributing to the long-term objectives of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) and supporting the development of a sustainable, shared monitoring network. 

 

The results presented during the workshop confirm that such integrated approaches are essential for enhancing preparedness, enabling early warning, and supporting evidence-based decision-making in geohazard risk management.