Transcript
SPYROS FOUNTAS:
Hello, my name is Spyros Fountas and I'm professor on precision agriculture in Agricultural University of Athens. I'm the scientific coordinator of the ICAERUS project. And the idea of the project started, actually, from our group that we've been working with drones for the last 10 years in various aspects in agriculture and crop, and livestock. And through the Horizon Framework project, there was a call for how to exploit drones in agriculture. And then we form a very dynamic and challenging consortium and we were very happy to gain this project, and actually, now, implement it.
Actually, vision of this ICAERUS project is to utilise all different technologies for all the major domains in crop, livestock and rural environment, to be able to advance the role of drones in the European agrifood sector.
KATERINA KASIMATI:
My name is Katerina Kasimati and I'm an agricultural engineer at the Agricultural University of Athens. And for the ICAERUS project, I'm working as a project manager, working with a lot of people from 13 organisations, from eight different European countries. I'm happy to share some information about the ICAERUS project and the upcoming open call that is a very good opportunity for innovation and collaboration.
The ICAERUS project aims to foster the effective and efficient adoption of drone technologies across Europe. In order to achieve this, we're issuing a couple of open calls, namely the push and pull of an open call, offering financial support to the third parties. This fosters idea generation, data set collection and enhances the European network for drone technology adoption. The push open call focuses on innovation development.
And on the other hand, the tool open call, addresses challenges in farming, forestry and rural communities. For those interested, all necessary documents can be found on the official ICAERUS open call hub.
SPYROS FOUNTAS:
Why drones are a source of innovation in Europe? There are actually two major things. First of all, drones is a new domain, which is only started 10 years ago. So there are many innovative aspects to be studied and exploited. And as a second point, there are many areas that traditional machinery and systems cannot cope. And in this way, drones can play a role. And this role will be actually investigated within this project.
KATERINA KASIMATI:
I would like to highlight why developing new business ideas from drones is a game changer. First of all, drones redefine how industries operate, we're optimising processes, and of course, making these processes more efficient and effective. We streamline operations and cut costs by optimising, for example, agricultural practices, even to enhancing logistics. Sustainability is another important aspect, as drones enable precision farming, reducing environmental impact.
And also, in terms of societal impact, they can be instrumental in emergency response and public safety. Developing new business ideas from drones is very important. It's not just a piece of technology, but it's a tool for transport. It's a tool with a transformative force. It's about efficiency, sustainability, and of course, for the markets to thrive and contribute positively to society and environment.