The 2nd press release featuring the 1st PUSH Open Call has been released and is available in 8 languages!

The ICAERUS project is launching the first round of PUSH OPEN calls for drone innovators on April 13 2023, with funding available for 4 innovative ideas!

ICAERUS is a project launched July 2023 and funded by Horizon Europe aiming to showcase and support the effective, efficient and safe deployment of drones, as well as identify the risks and added values associated with their use.

The project will issue two types of Open Calls, each with two release dates, providing financial support to third parties as a mechanism for harvesting ideas and datasets from the ecosystem and accelerating the formation of a European network for optimising the adoption of drone technologies in rural areas. 

1st PUSH OPEN CALL for Innovation Development

To do what? 

The PUSH Open Calls for Innovation Development will award 4 successful applicants with 60,000 € to implement projects aiming to deliver and exploit drone related data sets for assessing technological and non-technical hypotheses. The following types of applications/solutions (but not limited to) are expected to be funded: 

• Innovative ideas that leverage drone technology and data sets to address real-world problems and create value for society related to the use of drone technology and associated data sets.

• Drone hardware and software development: developing new hardware and software solutions to increase drone performance, extend flight time and improve data collection and analysis.

• Data analysis and processing: Developing new algorithms and techniques to process and analyse the data collected by drones, such as image recognition, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

• Drone-based services: developing new services that use drone technology, such as aerial photography, surveying, and inspection services.

• Drone-based applications: Developing new applications for drones, e.g., environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, disaster relief, infrastructure inspection, logistics and delivery, and security and surveillance.

• Standards and regulations: developing new standards and regulations for the safe and responsible use of drone technology, including privacy and security considerations.

Who can apply?

ICAERUS is looking for research and technology stakeholders (e.g., drone manufacturers, start-ups and SMEs exploiting innovative drone services and technologies, AI and IoT companies, research institutes), who are registered legal entities in eligible Horizon Europe countries. This include: Member States of the European Union, their outermost regions, and Overseas Countries and Territories linked to an EU Member as well as nationals of Horizon Europe associated countries.

Examples of applications eligible for funding:

• Agriculture: Drones can be used to monitor crop growth and health, soil quality and weather patterns, providing farmers with real-time data to optimise their operations.

• Monitoring the environment: Using drones to collect data on air, water and soil quality, as well as the health of flora and fauna, can help monitor and manage the environment.

• Disaster response: Drones can be used to quickly assess damage and provide real-time data to first responders so they can make informed decisions and save lives.

• Infrastructure inspection: Drones can be used to inspect and maintain infrastructure such as bridges, buildings and power lines, reducing the need for people to undertake dangerous tasks.

• Logistics and delivery: Drones can be used to transport goods and products in remote or hard-to-reach areas, reducing transport costs and shortening delivery times.

• Security and surveillance: Drones can be used to monitor and protect critical infrastructure such as airports and power plants, and to assist law enforcement agencies with surveillance and investigation.

Timeline 

The applications open on April 13, 2023, and close on July 11 2023. Successful applications will be notified on October 1st. Sub-projects implementation will be divided into three phases: Design, Development and Market, lasting a total of 12 months, beginning November 1, 2023 and ending October 31, 2024. 

How to apply?

Register on the Open Call Hub to apply! You can find all of the details for the 1st PUSH Open Call and other available calls on the ICAERUS website, at icaerus.eu/open-calls/. 

Evaluation will be conducted by independent evaluators who will assess the quality of each application including the concept and feasibility, technology readiness and innovation development, Impact and exploitation, as well as organisational capacity and allocation of resources. Full evaluation criteria will be available in the Open Call Kit documents found in the Open Call Hub. 

English is the official language for ICAERUS Open Calls. Applications submitted in any other language will not be evaluated. English is also the only official language throughout the whole execution of the ICAERUS project. This means all requested contributions must be submitted in English to be eligible.

Points of contact

For all the information related to ICAERUS Open Calls please state your question on the FAQ section on the ICAERUS Open Call Hub page opencallhub.eu or contact us at .