This blog is based upon the work conducted by Noosware under the framework of their task “Understanding the Drone Market”.
ICAERUS has been analysing how drone technologies take shape within real communities, real organizations, and real operational contexts. Instead of looking at technology in isolation, the project examines the broader ecosystem around it, in particular:
- how stakeholders connect
- what roles they play
- how they create value together
Why look at networks instead of just technology?
Drone services rarely stand alone. A single flight might involve:
- a farmer or forester requesting data,
- a local operator planning and flying the mission,
- a software provider analysing the imagery,
- a public authority ensuring compliance, and
- a community that needs to understand why drones are overhead.
If any link in this chain is weak, adoption slows. ICAERUS focuses on these relationships because they determine whether promising technologies turn into real, day-to-day tools.
Five pilots, five very different ecosystems
Our methodology has been applied across the project’s five pilots:
- Spain: vineyard and orchard monitoring
- Greece: precision spraying
- France: livestock monitoring
- Lithuania: forest biodiversity mapping
- North Macedonia: rural parcel delivery
The second round of demo events (fall 2025) offered a chance to revisit each pilot, validate stakeholder maps, and observe how networks evolve once people have seen the technologies in action.
A structured method built for messy, real-world systems
ICAERUS’ approach combines three elements:
A clear taxonomy of drone technologies
Using published material and information from UAS manufacturers, ICAERUS created a taxonomy of drone technologies including airframes, sensors, payloads, data processes, and supporting components.
This taxonomy revealed that the complexity of drone technology is closely tied to the complexity of its ecosystem. As systems become more advanced, the number of actors involved and the relationships between them grow accordingly.
Stakeholder mapping grounded in actual practice
To understand how innovation unfolds, ICAERUS used a structured system-architecture framework to identify:
- which stakeholders interact with which technologies,
- the functional roles they play,
- and how value is created and exchanged between partners in the network
By mapping who depends on whom, and why, the project can show where networks are strong, where they are thin, and where value is generated or lost.
The second demo round allowed the team to revisit and validate these maps with stakeholders, comparing earlier results with current perceptions and needs.
- A system-architecture lens to understand value
Using a structured mapping technique adapted from systems engineering, ICAERUS looked not just at relationships but at value creation. This includes economic, environmental, and operational value, but also softer elements such as trust, perceived usefulness, and the time required to adopt new practices.
Emerging Patterns From the Field
While the findings vary between use cases, a few consistent themes have appeared:
- Stakeholder interactions evolve as demonstrations progress. The second demo round helped clarify roles and expectations, making networks easier to map.
- The relationship between technology (know-how) and stakeholders is mutual (reciprocal). Technologies shape interactions, but stakeholder needs also shape which technologies matter most.
Key takeaways so far
- The testing of ICAERUS’ methodology highlights that successful drone innovations require careful consideration of not only technical engineering factors but also social influences within the ecosystem and stakeholder networks from the very start.
- Integrating engineering typology with business ecosystem dynamics allows stakeholders to better understand and navigate the complex interactions between technology development, regulatory requirements, and market needs.
- Early and structured stakeholder mapping is therefore essential to guide innovation, anticipate challenges, and support adoption across EU member states.
What Comes Next
Now that testing is complete, the formal modelling approach will be refined based on insights from stakeholder discussions and finalized with expert input.
