Drontex

DRONTEX

16-17 October, 2024

Piešťany, Slovak Republic

Use of unmanned technologies in the context of services and security challenges in the EU

Organized by:

DRONTEX

18-19 October, 2023

Piešťany, Slovak Republic

Use of unmanned technologies in the context of services and security challenges in the V4 countries

Organized by:

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ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

The DRONTEX conference is a professional platform for sharing of experience and information among experts in unmanned technologies and representatives of state institutions and non-profit organisations from the V4 countries aiming to support drone economy development.

O KONFERENCII

Konferencia DRONTEX má ambíciu vytvoriť odbornú platformu pre zdieľanie skúseností a informácií medzi odborníkmi pre bezpilotné technológie, predstaviteľmi štátnych a neziskových inštitúcií s cieľom podporiť rozvoj dronovej ekonomiky na Slovensku

V Asociácii Mám Dron vnímame obrovský potenciál bezpilotných technológií a ich využitia v rôznych druhoch priemyslu a služieb. V zahraničí táto téma rezonuje čoraz intenzívnejšie na odborných medzinárodných a lokálnych konferenciách a veľtrhoch. Aj to je znakom rozvoja, ktorý tento segment v dnešných časoch zažíva.

Keďže na Slovensku chýba podujatie podobného typu, veríme, že konferencia DRONTEX túto medzeru zaplní a ponúkne priestor pre komunikáciu a spoluprácu odborníkov z oblasti výroby, distribúcie a služieb spojených s UAV.

Konferenciu Drontex sme navrhli ako jednodňovú akciu, ktorá bude rozdelená do troch tematických blokov. V rámci nich na pódiu vystúpia odborníci z oblasti vývoja bezpilotných technológií, manažmentu bezpilotnej prevádzky a predstavitelia firiem ponúkajúcich UAV aplikácie pre geodéziu, kartografiu, energetiku a služby. V prípade úspechu nultého ročníka konferencie máme ambíciu pokračovať v nastavenej línii a vytvoriť tak na Slovensku tradíciu podujatia s vysokou pridanou hodnotou pre celú dronovú komunitu.

Rastislav Sopko

Riaditeľ Asociácie Mám Dron

MAIN TOPICS

UNMANNED TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

Unmanned Traffic Management in the EU countries

Current drone legislation in the EU

UTM within the context of drone services

ADVNANCED DRONE SERVICES

Drones in energy, construction and other industries

Development of drone services through autonomous operations

Academic research and development of unmanned technologies and its contribution to practical use

SECURITY

Security threats and challenges related to the use of unmanned technologies

Role of drones in the state security structures

Drones in security applications

SPEAKERS

EASA

Air Force Headquarters SR

KTH Royal Institute of Technology 

Air Navigation Services CR

EUROCONTROL

Twinzo

PANSA

European Commission

PROGRAMME

16 October

9:30 INTRODUCTION

8:30 - 9:30 Arrival and registration

Registration is open from 8:40 – 9:30 at the conference venue – in the Elektrárňa Piešťany premises. To be able to register, you will be required to provide your first and last name or an electronic or a printed ticket (a QR code).

9:30 - 9:35 Opening of the conference and welcome speech

The conference will be opened by the President of the Mám Dron Association Rastislav Sopko and the event ambassador  Brig. Gen. (ret.) Ing. Ivan Bella, and hosted by Ján Mečiar.

9:35 - 9:40 Address by Maria Algar Ruiz, EASA Drone Programme Manager

A short video address by Maria Algar Ruiz from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)

9:40 BLOCK 1: UNMANNED TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT IN THE EU

9:40 - 10:00 Better Safety Through Affordable Interoperability / Vladimír Foltín (EASA)

Vladimír Foltín from EASA will discuss the positive impact that low-cost technological convergence can have on the interoperability of General Aviation and drones. Additionally, he will introduce EASA’s initiative to promote the voluntary use of electronic conspicuity among pilots in all airspaces. These efforts aim to enhance situational awareness and overall safety for everyone.

10:00 - 10:20 The CORUS Five project: Developing European U-space concept of operation / Andrew Hately (EUROCONTROL)

The CORUS five project will bring the SESAR U-space ConOps up to date and will explicitly look at the challenges of scaling up the traffic, integration of UAS with other aviation as well as convergence of UAS traffic management with current Air traffic management. The presentation will Andrew Hately discuss the challenges ahead and how the project aims to address them.

10:20 - 10:40 The EU Drone Strategy 2.0 Implementation / Elina Millere (European Commission)

In her presentation, Elina Millere will present the latest information and challenges related to the implementation of the Drone Strategy 2.0 from the perspective of the European Commission

10:40 - 11:00 ANS CR activities in relation to U-space / Nikol Vašutová (ANS CR)

Nikol Vašutová will present the current state and planned activities leading to the implementation of U-space in the Czech Republic.

11:00 - 11:20 Coffee break

Coffee break prepared by our gastro partner – Ebenica Coffee

11:20 - 11:40 The use of drones in the conditions of regional self-government / Marek Krnáč (KIRA - Regional Innovation and Development Agency)

Marek Krnáč in his presentation will focus on the use of drones and drone technology in the conditions of regional self-government in Slovakia. It will touch upon the potential, possibilities of use, as well as risks and current obstacles in their use.

11:40 BLOCK 2: ADVANCED DRONE SERVICES

11:40 - 12:00 Drones in energy sector: BVLOS inspection flights / Jozef Tóth (VSD)

Jozef Tóth will present aspects related to the preparation for the operation of UAS for the performance of BVLOS inspection flights in power line corridors, as well as the first experiences from such flights.

12:00 - 12:20 Drones in energy sector: Innovative methods in ZSD / Peter Mančuška (ZSD)

Milestones, goals and benefits of UAVs in the ZSD as well as first flight experiences will be presented by Peter Mančuška from Západoslovenská distribučná, a.s.

12:20 - 12:40 Unlocking the potential of unmanned aerial systems: key challenges for the segment / Štefan Dusza (ZEPHYR UAS)

Štefan Dusza will talk about possibilities of BVLOS operations for industry.

12:40 - 13:00 Confined space inspections using drones / Matúš Sura (Terradron)

Terradron s.r.o. is one of the first professional drone companies in Slovakia. Matúš Sura will introduce a new service for industrial indoor inspections using drones, enabling precise and detailed analysis of technical infrastructure and hard-to-reach or hazardous areas. The presentation will include examples of completed projects that have enhanced safety, efficiency, and significantly reduced inspection and maintenance costs for industrial facilities.

13:00 – 14:00 LUNCH

14:00 - 14:20 Navigation system for drones in space / Patrik Veľký (M2M Solutions)

Ing. Patrik Veľký in his presentation will discuss the specifics of navigation systems for drones in space.

14:20 - 14:40 Digital twins in manufacturing operational excellence / Michal Ukropec (Twinzo)

The presentation from Michal Ukropec will cover these topics:

  • Differences in approaches to digital twins – planning, simulation, prediction, real-time/live 
  • Live digital twins in the manufacturing world 
  • Examples from existing projects and where is the money
14:40 - 15:00 Illuminating the skies: The power of drone show technology in event production / Istvan Endresz (Visual Europe Group)

Istvan Endresz tells about their experiences of launching the company’s newest branch, how drone shows are redifinig outdoor events and how it feels to see 500 led drones flying together in harmony.

15:00 BLOCK 3: RESEARCH AND UAS DEVELOPMENT

15:00 - 15:20 "Beyond the Horizon: Exploring Novel BVLOS Opportunities at SDU and Denmark’s Drone Innovation Hub / Robert Oliver Ladig (University of Southern Denmark)

Dr. Robert Oliver Ladig wants to introduce you to the bustling Drone innovation hub, that is the area in and around Odense, Denmark. Delve into details of the BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) airspace available north of the Danish island Funen, and learn how it can drive cutting-edge drone research and testing, using the research field of aerial manipulation as an example.

15:20 - 15:40 "C-3 Project – Defense for Life" - Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Climate Change Research / Raffaello Mariani (KTH Royal Institute of Technology – Higher Education and Research)

The talk of Raffaello Mariani presents an 18-months project of the development of a fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicle platform for measurements of atmospheric gas concentration. The project is a collaboration between KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, and Universidad EAFIT, Colombia, under the patronage of SAAB AB, Sweden.

15:40 - 16:00 Coffee break

Coffee break prepared by our gastro partner – Ebenica Coffee

16:00 - 16:20 RX32 GAMEon - Glider for Atmospheric Measurements and Experiments / Jonas Quinque (REXUS_GAMEon)

The GAMEon experiment, building upon the GAME mission (RX25), developed a self-stable and autonomous microglider platform. Ejected from a Rexus Rocket at 69 km altitude, the microglider reached an apogee of 75 km. It autonomously transitioned from high-speed vacuum conditions to stable flight, steered to target coordinates, and communicated flight data via a self-developed system before retrieval. This project will be presented at the conference by Jonas Quinque

16:20 - 16:40 Space for Drones & Drones for Space / Michal Brichta (Slovak Space Office)

Michal Brichta – director of the Slovak Space Office will present the possibilities of using unmanned technologies in space.

16:40 BREAK

19:30 GALA DINNER

20:30 EVENING PROGRAMME AND NETWORKING

17 October

9:00 BLOCK1: DRONES AND SECURITY

9:00 - 9:10 Opening speech / Radosław Zych (Polska Izba Systemów Bezzałogowych)

The second day of the conference will be opened with an introductory speech by Radosław Zych, member of the board at the Polish Chamber of Unmanned Systems (Polska Izba Systemów Bezzałogowych).

9:10 - 9:30 Safety of air traffic and UAS / Mário Malatinec (Air Force Headquarters, Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic )

mjr. Ing. Mário Malatinec from the Flight Safety Department of the Air Force Headquarters will explain the rules for flying unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in the vicinity of military airports as stated in the amendment to the Act on the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic no. 321/2002 Z. z.. Moreover, as drones become more and more affordable, he will talk about the increase in the number of UAS flights without a permit, the inability of the Slovak Republic to respond flexibly due to current legislation, and the impact of such UAS flights on air traffic safety.

9:30 - 9:50 Innovative Approaches to Drone Detection and Tracking: Synergy of Sensors for Enhanced Airspace Security / Tomáš Schóber (R-SYS)

Tomáš Schóber from R-SYS included in his presentation information on ways to integrate drone management in crisis and special operations.

9:50 - 10:10 Development of advanced UTM systems and tools for law enforcement and rescue agencies in Poland / Rafał Paprocki, Michał Lewandowski (PANSA)

Rafał Paprocki and his colleague Michał Lewandowski in their presentation will talk about how PANSA approaches the UTM system also from a security perspective.

10:10 - 10:30 Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in the Implementation of Poland's Border Guard Tasks / Sebastian Łagoda, Arkadiusz Krzak (Border Board of the Border Guard Headquarters)

Capt. Sebastian Łagoda and WO Arkadiusz Krzak from Border Board of the Border Guard Headquarters (Poland) will focus their presentation on the use of UAS for border monitoring.

10:30 - 10:50 Coffee break

Coffee break prepared by our gastro partner – Ebenica Coffee

10:50 - 11:10 Cybersecurity? Yes, for everyone! / Tomáš Hettych (Cybersecurity Competence and Certification Center)

The amendment to the Cybersecurity Act and the new EU NIS2 legislation significantly expand the number of obliged entities (Essential Service Providers) and cybersecurity requirements. Manufacturing, technology and commercial companies, among others, will be added. New processes, tools and new job roles are needed.
How to prepare for the new requirements? Where, when, with whom and how to start? Tomáš Hettych, COO of KCCKB, will answer these questions in his presentation.

11:10 - 11:30 Unmanned civil applications, Airspace and in-between / Omer Frank (Elbit Systems)

The presentation of Omer Frank will touch the fundamentals of integrating UAS into the Civil Applications.

11:30 - 11:50 Smart UAV security in critical infrastructure / Heiko Nissen (Rohde & Schwarz)

Since flying drones nowadays is affordable for almost everyone, a lot of misuse is detected by e.g. critical infrastructure operators, due to clueless, careless, but also criminal drone operators. Reliable UAV detection and smart countering, but also the capability to distinguish between approved and unauthorized flights are key to success. Heiko Nissen from Rohde & Schwarz will discuss this topic further in his presentation.

11:50 - 12:10 Drones and UAVs protecting Slovakia / Eyal Engel (Israeli Aerospace Industries - IAI)

Eyal Engel will present use cases of the APUS25 – a long endurance quadrocopter.

12:10 - 12:30 Radio Coverage and Retrans Enhancement / Ákos Haramia (Aliter Technologies)

The presentation of Ákos Haramia will introduce a technological solution designed for police, fire and rescue forces, armed forces and special operations units. The payload provides radio retransmission in order to increase the reach of the radio signal coverage.

12:30 - 12:35 Speech to the participants / Mr. Piotr Samerek, Head of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Bratislava

Mr. Piotr Samerek, head of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Bratislava, will address the conference with his remarks on the overall potential of drone industry in Poland as well as possible ways of forging cooperation with Slovak and regional partners.

12:35 – 13:30 LUNCH

13:30 - 13:50 Autonomy and AI in defense and security UAV applications / Jozef Rodina (Airvolute)

Modern AI-based autopilot solutions bring unmatched possibilities to UAV operations. Autonomous inspection, surveillance, security control of assets, GNSS-denied flights, or automated target-acquiring; many of these features would not be possible without modern UAV solutions like Airvolute’s DroneCore autopilot and family of UAV systems. Dr. Jozef Rodina will present the integration of these features in modern UAVs for various use cases in the defense and enterprise sectors. 

13:50 - 14:10 UAV reconnaissance and strike systems / Konrad Wojciechowski (WB GROUP)

The presentation of Konrad Wojciechowski provides an overall knowledge upon the UAV technology based reconnaissance and strike systems designed and delivered by WB GROUP. It contains the general concept of the integrated and complex UAV based recon and strike system, short overview of the system elements as well as some ideas and recommendations for potential users.

14:10 - 14:30 Using drones for mass events and festivals - crowd management from above / Martin Královič (SafetyCrew)

Martin Královič from SafetyCrew will present how they use both conventional and wired drones to monitor crowd movements at festivals in Central Europe and how they cooperate with the Integrated Rescue System to capture images.

14:30 - 14:50 Future of Drones – risks and opportunities (TBC) / Imrich Marton (Adapt Institute, Facta pro Futura)

Imrich Marton will present the strategic foresight methodology and explain how it can help in better understanding the future of drones, through the use of horizon scanning, identification of forces driving the change in this area, and using alternative scenarios to better embrace plausible future risks and opportunities.

14:50 - 15:10 Coffee break

Coffee break prepared by our gastro partner – Ebenica Coffee

15:10 - 15:30 Electrical safety of drones (EMC, LVD, RED) / Tomáš Kakula (Technical Testing Institute Piešťany, Inc.)

Tomáš Kakula will present the fundamental requirements for the safety of drones in the fields of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), electrical safety (LVD), and communication standards for radio equipment (RED) when placing products on the market in the European Union.

15:30 - 15:50 Necessity of drone insurance. The possibility of insurance in Slovakia / Mojmír Vedej (Premium Insurance Company)

Mojmír Vedej will present a new insurance product designed for drones and their owners in Slovakia.

15:50 - 16:10 Navigating through Aerial Privacy: GDPR and Drones / Jozef Filko, Ján Golais (Beluga)

The presentation of Jozef Filko and Ján Golais will cover the general GDPR regulations applicable to drone operations, focusing on specific scenarios such as infrastructure’ constructions monitoring or municipal building’ inspections. It will delve into compliance challenges and provide best practices to ensure adherence to data privacy regulations when using drones.

16:10 - 16:15 Closing speech and photo

Closing speech and photo

16:15 END OF THE CONFERENCE

We continue to work intensively on the programme…

Change of the program reserved

REGISTRATION

16-17 October, 2024

Elektrárňa Piešťany

Registration will open soon

PRICE INCLUDES

Attendance at the conference in Elektrárňa Piešt’any

Welcome drink, meals, coffee and snacks, evening program and networking

Materials from conference organizers and partners

Parking in a reserved parking lot

ACCOMMODATION

For the participants of the event we offer discounted accommodation in the conference partner hotel: HOTEL PARK PIEŠŤANY ****

Single and double rooms are available.

PARTNERS

MAIN PARTNERS

PARTNERS

Patronage over the event was taken over by the Trnava Self-Governing Region

Special partner of the conference is the Polish Embassy in Bratislava

GOLD PARTNERS

SILVER PARTNERS

PARTNERS

MEDIA PARTNERS

GASTRO PARTNERS

NEWS

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VENUE

How to get here

By train, bus

The Elektrárňa building is located about 100m from the main station in Piešt’any.

By car

We have reserved parking at the Main Station for conference participants.

There will be navigation boards at the station and in the parking lot and designated staff available to DRONTEX participants

Venue of the conference

Elektrárňa Piešťany
Staničná 2334/51
Piešťany

Slovak Republic

In-person attendance

SOLD OUT

In-person attendance

SOLD OUT