KIOS
Organiser
KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence, of the University of Cyprus, is an academic/research institution that has attained scientific excellence in information and communication technologies. KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence has a strong background in RPAS technologies for emergency management through the DG ECHO PREDICATE project and the collaborations it established with organizations in emergency management through its Innovation Hub. To date KIOS developed functionalities (including automated path-planning, real-time image analysis and object detection, and payload deliveries) that assist first-responder operators rapidly achieve their missions in a more effective and efficient manner. These functionalities have been implemented and demonstrated in practise over several types of RPAS units that KIOS possesses. In addition to its turn-key technological developments, KIOS has established a training course on the use of RPAS for emergency response that is delivered to key stakeholders at an international level and part of which is being presented to participants of the UCPM AMC training course 5 times a year. KIOS is also hosting 4-day Exchange of EU Experts workshops on the use of RPAS units for emergency management.
KEMEA
Partner
KEMEA (the advisory, research and consulting body of the Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reconstruction) is also well fit at reaching a large number of end-users. KEMEA is staffed by active officers of the Hellenic Police, Fire Corps, Civil Protection, and security experts with high academic profile in security research.
Regione Autonoma Della Sardegna (RAS)
Partner
The Department of Risk forecasting, information systems, infrastructures and network service conducts, among others, risks forecast and prevention. RAS organizes task forces to lead interventions and coordinate actions in emergencies. RAS has participated in many EU projects, including Proterina II, Prefer, Netrisk.
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Partner
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is the national aeronautics and space research centre of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its extensive research and development work in aeronautics, space, energy, transport, digitalisation and security is integrated into national and international cooperative ventures. In addition to its own research, as Germany’s space agency, DLR has been given responsibility by the federal government for the planning and implementation of the German space programme. DLR is also the umbrella organisation for the nation’s largest project management agency.
The DLR “Swarm Exploration” group involved in this project has been established on 1. October 2014. It works on development and testing of autonomous exploration algorithms for multi-agent platforms, or swarms. The goal of such swarm exploration is to enable multiple robotic platforms to collaboratively construct or improve a representation of the surrounding environment without direct human interaction. The efforts of the DLR “Swarm Exploration” are primarily concentrated on two key challenges: (i) development of new algorithms and approaches for swarm exploration applications, and (ii) validation of the developed algorithm on hardware platforms in realistic environments.
Cyprus Civil Defence
Partner
The mission of the Cyprus Civil Defence is to take preventive, repressive and supporting humanitarian measures in order to protect the population and its property, as well as the environment and critical infrastructure from the effects of disasters either natural (earthquakes, floods, tornadoes etc.) or man-made (technological accidents, armed conflict, etc.). Cyprus Civil Defence also aims to provide the necessary conditions for the populations survival and recovery following a disaster.