The “V4UAVchallenge – an annual students’ drone meeting and competition” project aims to prepare Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) competitions (piloting and usage) for students from the Visegrad Group (V4) countries. The project’s primary goal is to prepare the competition (topics, disciplines, regulations, etc.) and to organise the first edition.
During the competition, a seminar for Student Research Groups will be held, focusing on the commercial use of drones across various economic sectors. Also, at a parallel meeting, the lecturers will share their experience in UAV education.
The project’s importance lies in promoting the pilotingand use of drones in the V4. Sports competitions will facilitate skills training and the exchange of experiences in UAV education. By promoting UAV integration, the project aims to strengthen cross-border collaboration and workforce mobility within the EU and to prepare students for potential changes in the UAV labour market, e.g., after the Ukrainian-Russian conflict ends.
Aims and Goals
There are many licensed UAV operators (e.g., in Poland ~222,000), but the number of those that are active and officially registering flights is significantly lower (Poland: 48,000 in 2023). The large number of “open licenses” is due solely to the requirement of a theoretical exam, which is free and taken online. Therefore, the number is inflated by courses at high schools and universities that prepare students for them, but this may not impact UAV piloting skills. The project aims to encourage students’ interest in UAVs and to expand their knowledge and skills in operating and piloting them. During the interdisciplinary meeting, students will have the opportunity to showcase and learn about the diverse applications of UAVs across various economic activities through a fun and engaging, hands-on approach.
Financed
V4UAVchallenge is financed by the International Visegrad Fund (grant no. 22530054), which is a donor organisation established in 2000 by the governments of the Visegrad Group countries – Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. From its beginnings, the Found has supported “regional partnerships among NGOs and civil society organisations, public institutions and municipalities, private companies and nonprofit organisations, as well as education and research centres, that contribute to cooperation in the Visegrad region”.
Project Members
The project is run by the consortium of four Universities (Project Members):
University of National Education Commission, Krakow, Poland – the project leader.
Technical University in Zvolen, Slovakia.
Brno University of Technology, Czechia.
University of Szeged, Hungary.
Duration
The project starts on March 1st, 2026, and we plan to complete it by February 27th, 2027. However, we will schedule the major event—the challenge—for the beginning of October 2026.
Location
We planned the V4UAVchallenge in Nowy Targ County, Poland. During the project, we will determine the final location after conducting a careful analysis.