AI-based tactical situational awareness using swarms of small robots and drones – organisation of a technological challenge"

Open

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Scope:
The automatic analysis of tactical situations using fleets of robots, drones and AI is an important research topic that lacks standardised benchmarks and objective evaluation campaigns.
This call topic aims to set up a testing environment and organise a technological challenge in which research teams will participate, supported by another topic (EDF-2024-LS-RA-CHALLENGE-DIGIT-AISAP-STEP) and possibly other sources of funding. The testing environment should enable objective comparisons between different approaches. Data should be collected during field tests, annotated and shared to enable the validation of the system performances based on precise evaluation criteria and plans, to be provided as part of the call document.
Targeted types of activities: Integrating knowledge, not excluding upstream and downstream activities eligible for research actions.
Indicative budget: EUR 7 000 000 for this topic under the EDF-2026-LS-RA-CHALLENGE call.
Indicative number of proposals to be funded: One proposal is to be funded for this topic.

Status

Open

Deadline

29 September 2026 (time not stated)

Opens

11 February 2026

Published

22 January 2026

Country

European Union (EU-wide)

Programme

European Defence Fund (EDF)

Funder

European Commission

Official page

Open at the source portal

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10 steps, all of them taken from this call's own documents.

Understand the call

• Read the call on the source portal and download its documents
• Write the proposal against the award criteria and thresholds standard for this programme

  described in section 9 of the call document — conditions §5b

• Check the grant's legal and financial set-up standard for this programme

  described in section 10 of the call document . Call document and annexes: Call document Application form templates Standard application form (EDF) — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System Detailed budget table (EDF LS RA) Participant information (EDF) List of infrastructure, facilities, assets and resources (EDF) Actual indirect cost methodology declaration (EDF) Ownership control declaration Ownership control guarantee PRS … — conditions §6

Check you are eligible

• Check every partner is established in an eligible country standard for this programme

  described in section 6 of the call document — conditions §2

• Meet the call's other eligibility conditions standard for this programme

  described in section 6 of the call document — conditions §3

• Be able to show financial and operational capacity standard for this programme

  described in section 7 of the call document — conditions §4

Prepare the documents

• Prepare Part B of the Application Form standard for this programme

  Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. — conditions

• Complete the detailed budget table standard for this programme

Submit

• Check the submission and evaluation process

  described section 8 of the call document and the Online Manual — conditions §5a

• Submit before the closing date shown above

  The source states the closing day but no closing time — check the portal before the last day. — calls.deadline

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