The SUNNY project aims to contribute to EUROSUR by defining a new tool for collecting real-time information in operational scenarios.SUNNY represents a step beyond existing research projects due to the following main features:•A two-tier intelligent heterogeneous UAV sensor network will be considered in order to provide both large field and focused surveillance capabilities, where the first-tier sensors, carried by medium altitude, long-endurance autonomous UAVs, are used to patrol large border areas to detect suspicious targets and provide global situation awareness. Fed with the information collected by the first-tier sensors, the second-tier sensors will be deployedto provide more focused surveillance capability by tracking the targets and collecting further evidence for more accurate target recognition and threat evaluation. Novel algorithms will be developed to analyse the data collected by the sensors for robust and accurate target identification and event detection;•Novel sensors and on-board processing generation, integrated on UAV system, will be focus on low weight, low cost, high resolution that can operate under variable conditions such as darkness, snow, and rain. In particular, SUNNY will develop sensors that generate both RGB image, Near Infrared (NIR) image and hyperspectral image and that use radar information to detect, discriminate and track objects of interest inside complex environment with focus on the sea borders. Alloying to couple sensor processing and preliminary detection results (on-board) with local UAV control, leading to innovative active sensing techniques, replacing low level sensor data communication bya higher abstraction level of information communication.•The exploitation and adaptation of emerging standard wireless technologies and architectures as IEEE802.11a/g/n, IEEE 802.11p, DVB-T2, Mobile WiMAX, LTE, and Wi-Fi@700MHz will be considered due to their low cost and advantageous features.