Drone adoption in the EU is challenged by socio-economic, environmental, and regulatory issues, including high costs in poorer agricultural regions, societal concerns over privacy and misuse, and environmental conditions that affect operations. These factors, alongside safety concerns, result in complex and varied regulations for drone use. Emphasising an "application-oriented" approach, ICAERUS focuses on exploiting drones' potential in agriculture, forestry, and rural areas. By selecting 5 key applications, ICARUS targets comprehensive coverage within the EU's rural settings, showcasing both "eye-in-the-sky", and "hand-in-the-sky" drone uses. ICAERUS aims to exploit the potential of drones and strengthen capacities to reduce risks, achieve better informed decision-making and enhance sustainability performance and competitiveness.
The aim of ICAERUS is to showcase and support, through application, the effective, efficient and safe deployment of drones as well as, identify the risks and added values associated with their use.
SO1: Research the drone ecosystem and exploit possibilities to use drones as multi-purpose vehicles. Assess and optimise drone related technologies; and analyse standards, regulations, risks and socio-economic and environmental effects related to their use.
SO2: Develop and demonstrate multiple innovative approaches of the application of drones to assess and reduce risks emerging from their use and from the activities they perform.
SO3: Strengthen capacities through free, open-access education, training and value-added services to develop fundamental skills of EU stakeholders on the application of drone technologies in sustainable smart farming, forestry and rural communities.
SO4: Build a EU innovation ecosystem and develop business and governance models, for the effective and efficient dissemination and adoption of drone technologies to scale-up, increase sustainability.
This collaborative effort across 8 countries aims to boost stakeholder capabilities via the ICAERUS Academy and improve drone safety through market analysis and data analytics. Aligned with the Green Deal and Sustainable Development Goals, the project emphasises resilience, innovation, and risk management, seeking to impact over 20,000 stakeholders for scientific and societal advancements.
