ICAReS
Innovation Cluster Accelerating Remote Sensing
Priority Axis
Technological and Social InnovationSpecific objective
Framework Conditions for Innovation
Lead partner
Gemeente WoensdrechtContact
Begindatum
01/12/2016Einddatum
29/02/2020Project budget
3 223 525 €ERDF amount
1 934 115 €ERDF rate
60%Over
Common challenge
The 2 Seas area has challenges regarding innovation and the environment. This includes the need to strengthen innovation by encouraging more R&D and exploitation opportunities, climate adaptation, the preservation of biodiversity and natural resources. Agriculture, nature and water are 3 major sectors in the 2 Seas area. These sectors face significant challenges which require innovation to succeed. iCARes project partners worked to improve the use and development of RS (Remote Sensing) and data processing which will create solutions to face these challenges and will also improve efficiency of these sectors.
Obstacles to an increased use of Remote Sensing are: lack of knowledge/awareness of the possibilities of RS, RS-SMEs are not fully aware of the role they can play, a lack of suitable test/demo locations and unclear policy on legislation on the use of drones for RS. Additional challenges include the aggregation of sector demands, translation to RS-SMEs and knowledge institutes, sites for demonstrating (new) RS-applications, the need for greater harmonisation of legislation/regulations and a structure (durable cluster) to work together on these issues.
Overall objective
Main outputs
Cross border approach
Main Achievements
In 2017 the partners organized an opening conference. All partners collected contact information from a total of more than 6000 organizations in the 4 Member States. After writing to these organizations, over 500 parties expressed interest in wanting to participate in the training innovation cluster in the field of RS. In addition to the initial set-up of the cluster, a better understanding of the needs of the end users and other parties involved emerged. The general conclusion from the surveys received was that innovation can only arise in the field of RS if harmonization of laws and regulations between the various MS occurs. This legislation should make more possible for SMEs in the daily applications for end users.
In 2018, the partners organized and attended various conferences to involve more end users. A mobile and central test site was established. During the project, it became clear the EASA was preparing uniform EU L&R for RS applications. The need to combine forces was crucial for ICAReS to ensure that the project objectives were met. ICAReS teamed up with UVSi, the international branch organization of drone operators. By concluding an MOU, the TFG was able to work the UVSi and EASA about the needs of SMEs and end users. After the establishment of DRONEREGIME by UVSi and ICAReS, 3000 organisations became involved in the elaboration and implementation of EASA legislation in all EU Member States. DRONEREGIME included various working groups in which the parties worked on standard scenarios and risk assessments that were necessary under the new legislation, but also to apply training requirements, tests, demo sites, inspection requirements and certificates. This ensured that regulations were uniformly implemented among the EU Member States in 2021.
Finally, demonstrations were given and new innovations were developed and tested. All work led to the conclusion of an MOU in 2020 where the partners and participants in the cluster have agreed to continue the work within ICAReS and DRONEREGIM to ensure that the interests of the end users were optimally embedded in the new legislation.
Testimonial
The ICARES project received the UVSi-Award by the RS operators as recognisation of the work that was done on harmonisation on rules and regulation and connection the demanding sectors.