Shaping the future of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in disaster response: COLLARIS Plenary Meeting
The meeting followed the Air Traffic Management Trial, which took place in Stalowa Wola on 01.09 2023, during a staff exercise dedicated to responding to flood situations. This was an important step for the COLLARIS network, setting the direction for the coming months and years, also taking into account the opinions of affiliated partners.
The event focused on a behind-the-scenes look at the innovative approach to air traffic management that is currently being implemented in Poland in emergency situations. The purpose of the exercise was to test the capacity of the Podkarpackie Province to respond to flooding, with operational involvement of representatives from all agencies and emergency services. The exercise had a special component on the development of an optimal model for conducting drone operations during a flood emergency, consisting of a dedicated experimental episode (actual drone operations) and an additional table-top exercise in which the Air Operations Manager and UAV pilots could practice an advanced flight coordination scenario, including flights by manned aircraft.
Participants from across Europe
The post-exercise plenary meeting was attended by members of the Strategy Group (representatives of the main consortium partners CIK CBK, MSB, DCNA and KIOS, with the exception of Valabre). Associated partners from the Swedish Police, the Polish Air Navigation Agency and the Ministry of the Interior of Finland were also present. Other participants included representatives from RISE Research Institutes, the Södertörn Rescue Service from Sweden, and Polish stakeholders involved in the ATM Trial: the National Fire Service, the Territorial Defense Forces, the Regional Water Management Board, provincial and district crisis management centers, and the Police Headquarters.
The plenary meeting was divided into three separate sessions. The first part was devoted to discussing recent exercises from the perspective of the key players involved - the State Fire Service, the Regional Water Management Board, the Air Operations Coordinator, the Polish Air Navigation Agency and the Territorial Defense Forces. The second session was devoted to current and planned COLLARIS activities and preliminary thematic reports. During the last part of the plenary, invited guests from abroad were asked to share their thoughts and insights on the ATM Trial and the current use of drones for emergency management in their countries.
Great success and plans for the second plenary meeting
The Plenary Meeting was considered a success by its participants from Poland and abroad, who - in addition to learning about COLLARIS activities across all subject lines and being able to discuss air traffic management issues - also appreciated the informal networking opportunities offered by the event. It is important to ensure that this approach continues at the next plenary meeting, which should also be synchronized with the corresponding conference/exercise, thus ensuring the optimal possible interest of the stakeholders involved and maximizing influence and outreach.
The full report of the meeting can be found in the appendix below.