DRONE CONTEST

​Now in its sixth edition, Leonardo's Drone Contest, conceived and developed in collaboration with seven prestigious Italian universities, is a project designed to promote innovation in artificial intelligence applied to unmanned systems. The primary objective is to foster the creation of an innovation ecosystem by synergistically involving large companies, universities, SMEs, spin-offs, and startups.

​During the competition, which will be held on October 1st, teams from the Polytechnic University of Turin, the Polytechnic University of Milan, the Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna of Pisa, the University of Rome Tor Vergata, the University of Naples Federico II, and the Polytechnic University of Bari will each have twenty minutes to complete three heats. Participants will test their collaborative systems, consisting of drones and ground robots, in a scenario simulating an urban environment. Here, the robots will have to perform specific tasks aimed at supporting and accelerating the human decision-making process, reducing intervention times.

​Behind a contest that may seem like a simple game lies the desire to push technological development towards concrete solutions, applicable in complex contexts such as the inspection of areas affected by natural disasters, inspections of difficult-to-access sites, and surveillance of high-risk zones.

​The Drone Contest is not just a technical challenge among students but a close collaboration between Leonardo and universities that offers the opportunity to train and develop young talent.