As part of the mission of driving the drone ecosystem, the Cluster’s third Drone Day held in Tarbes featured a new two-day format on the topic, “Drones are going green.”

Covering the geostrategic and environmental aspects of drones, the event featured: an information session about the latest drone news, a presentation on the operational requirements of clients, and B2B meetings. Nearly 120 participants and 18 clients discussed future solutions.

Alongside this annual leading event, the strategic drone sector invested in 17 other national or European events to promote members’ expertise and know-how as both exhibitors, participants or visitors.

In particular, the event, ENERGAIA is worth noting (Montpellier December, 13 and 14) which brought together nearly 300 exhibitors from the renewable energy sector. In partnership with the Derbi competitiveness cluster, Aerospace Valley organized a workshop on using drones in the renewable energy sector, showcasing the contributions of its members in this area.

OTHER ACTIONS AS PART OF SUPPORTING ITS MEMBERS’ INNOVATION:

Le Pôle s’est attaché à soutenir le déploiement du tandem drones en essaim et intelligence artificielle. A la suite de deux tables rondes organisées en mars 2023, plusieurs projets innovants se sont structurés:

The Cluster worked to support the deployment of the swarm drones and AI. Following two round tables in March, 2023, several innovative projects were organized: 

• AgriSwarm: monitoring and taking action in agricultural areas using swarm drone technology, operated by a single land operator. The consortium was organized with a project sponsor in Occitanie and the Cluster helped identify national funding.
•  CrisiSwarm Map: using a drone fleet, mapping of an area impacted by a major event. This original project led to a civil protection project, ARCADE, which was accredited by the Cluster and presented at BPI in January 2024 for over 4M€. 

• In the civil protection field, the Cluster launched an action in 2023 with the Southwest zone inter-ministerial staff and the Civil Protection General Directorate to work on writing technical drone guidelines for the civil protection sector and SIS in particular. Brainstorming workshops were organized in April 2024 and trials will be run at the end of 2024 and early 2025.

Finally, following the forest fire workshop in 2022, innovation projects and structural partnerships supported by the Cluster will be finalized in the coming months (October signature).

• In the defence field, the Cluster supported the 11th Parachutist Regiment at its first drone challenge at the camp in Caylus on December 11, 2023. At this tactical exercise involving different kinds of drones, industrial companies from the drone sector were invited to attend a meeting with drone operators from all of the regiments in the Brigade. The meeting featured theme-based workshops.

AS PART OF OUR MISSION TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR MEMBERS, THE CLUSTER IS DELIGHTED TO SEE THE CERTUS (Certify Unmanned Systems) PROJECT TAKE SHAPE.

The aim of CERTUS is to facilitate the conditions to set up the first drone certification platform in France in the Greater Southwest.

Finally, Aerospace Valley continued to provide support to ADIF (Professional Federation of French Drone Manufacturers) members notably through showcasing carbon reduction efforts at Drone Day organized by the cluster.

SELECTED WEBINARS AND EVENTS

• The U-SPACE Webinar on May 11th, 2023 with the participation of the DGAC and EASA jointly organized with other clusters and French drone clusters.
• National Firefighters of France convention, 4-8 October, Toulouse:
•  On October 6th, an important event was organized focusing on innovation in the drone field. A partnership agreement was signed between the Ministry of the Interior, the Civil Protection and Crisis Management General Directorate, and the Prefect, Julien Marion and the Cluster Director, Bruno Darboux. This agreement aims to boost and support innovation in the drone sector for risk and catastrophe management, in particular to fight forest fires. A round table was held in the Village Innovation, showcasing the winners of the AMI, “Innovations and new aeronautics and space solutions to prevent, fight and supervise forest fires”, highlighting the importance of innovation and collaboration to improve forest fire management.
• "The 7th UAV Show" from October 10-12 at the Palais des Congrès and the Bordeaux Airport, in France. Aerospace Valley had a stand and a round table was organized by one of the members of the drone strategy committee on the topic, “Standards serving the drone industry”. Visitors were able to find out about the latest regulations and standards.

FOCUS EUROPE

UAM Plazza Accelerator project, market accelerator for urban air mobility funded by the EIT Urban Mobility program, was launched in 2022 and will end in December, 2024. Thanks to this project, coordinated by Toulouse Métropole and run in partnership with Aerospace Valley and a key actor in the mobility market in Spain (Carnet), 10 start ups were supported to prepare for and consolidate their market access. They were joined in July 2024 by a new group of 6 young innovative companies in the UAV sector. The project includes a comprehensive acceleration program, combining expert services, access to living labs, information sessions on regulatory issues and fundraising training, in addition to promotional actions (participation in and organization of events).