The interregional learning process of Aerial Uptake inspired its lead partner Municipality of Enschede to continue on this path. Although situated on the border with Germany, the Enschede based drone innovation cluster Space53 was still limitedly connected to its German hinterland. The Euregio Drone Project is going bring together Dutch and German drone companies and first responders.
Drones for safety & security
Space53 focuses on the application field of safety and security, which includes using drones for improving safety and improving security against illegal or dangerous drone usage. At its headquarters, located on former military airfield Twente, there is a large test site called Safety Campus. Here, first responders like fire department, but also innovative companies, can test products and train operational procedures, including using drones for firefighting support.
Wildfires don’t stop at the border
A testcase for this application field are wildfires. Although the Netherlands does not have wildfires found in the United States or Australia, the technology to detect and fight them can be developed and demonstrated here. A Space53 affiliated company called Robor Electronics for example developed drone based software with which the direction of wild fires can be predicted, suggesting where stop lines can be burned by firemen on the ground.
Interreg-A
To bring solutions like these to the market and to their end-users, the Euregio Drone Project will try to further develop these and other innovations from regional sme’s and test and demonstrate them in collaboration with first responders and public authorities from the Netherlands and Germany. To support the activities, Interreg-A funding is applied for, and the project is expected to start in the spring of 2023, running for a period of 4 years.
For more information, contact lead partner project manager Wouter Asveld
