Webinar
“Implementation of new technologies in operational activities of crisis management and civil protection services.
AI, Drones, and Satellites for Real-Time Situational Awareness in Disaster Response”
Participation is free. Register now!
Why join the workshop?
The workshop offers a unique opportunity to engage with a network of EU projects at the forefront of emergency management innovation. Participants will gain insights into new technologies like AI, drones, and satellites that are transforming real-time situational awareness and disaster response, developing future-ready solutions tailored to increasingly complex disaster scenarios in Europe.
Workshop Agenda
SESSION 1 – CHALLENGES AND PRIORITIES IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TODAY
10:00 – 10:05 AM
- Framing the workshop and its aims Vanina Fissore, ITHACA (OVERWATCH Project Coordinator)
10:05 – 10:15 AM
- How Europe is tackling addressing challenges and priorities in emergency management – Kalogirou Vasileios, EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), OVERWATCH and UNICORN Project Officer
10:15 – 10:25 AM
- Outcomes of the International Symposium on Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics – Ivana Kruijff, German Rescue Robotics Centre
- Q&A
10:25 – 10:45 AM
- “Strengthening Responder Technology in Disasters”: A European view LINK – Jon Hall QFSM, CMINE/RTC Cluster coordinator
- Q&A
SESSION 2 – CHALLENGES AND NEEDS FACING THE RESPONDER COMMUNITY
10:45 – 11:10 AM
- Intro from the Chair – Mariza Kaskara | National Observatory of Athens NOA (UNICORN Project Coordinator)
- Austrian Red Cross – Sandra Nestlinger (Österreichisches Rotes Kreuz Project Manager)
- CINAMIL (Centro de Investigação, Desenvolvimento e Inovação da Academia Militar) – José Alberto de Jesus Borges (Associate Researcher at CINAMIL – Army and GNR R&D centre)
- SIS2B (Service d’Incendie et de Secours de la Haute Corse)– Michael Pelissier (Commandant SIS2B)
- Q&A
SESSION 3 – HOW EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IS TRANSFORMING DISASTER RESPONSE
11:10 AM – 12:20 PM
- Intro from the Chair – Anna Kobierzycka | Centrum Informacji Kryzysowej CBK PAN (COLLARIS2 Project Coordinator)
- How the Disaster Resilience Network is impacting on disaster management – Jon Hall QFSM, DIREKTION project
- Drone foresight study key findings – Jakub Ryzenko (Head of the Crisis Information Centre CBK), COLLARIS2 project
- Using Earth Observation data, drones and augmented reality for disaster management in Portugal – Vanina Fissore (Head of Unit – R&D at Ithaca S.r.l.), OVERWATCH project
- Advancing Preparedness with UNICORN: EO-Driven Tools for Authorities, Citizens and Industry – Mariza Kaskara (Project Manager & Research Associate National Observatory of Athens), UNICORN project
- The Mount Etna Case study 2021-2022 using drones, satellites, and fixed surveillance cameras – Emanuela De Beni (Researcher INGV-OE), INGV-OE (Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology – Etna Observatory)
- 24/7 multi-hazard advice service – Strengthening the monitoring and analysis functions of the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) and its Situational Awareness Sector (SAS) – Alberto Michelini (Senior Researcher INGV-OE), ARISTOTLE – ARISTOTLE-eENHSP
- Q&A
Successful solutions from needs to deployment . The 2025 DIREKTION Award winners
12:20 PM – 12:50 PM
Intro from the Chair – Jon Hall | QFSM (Queen’s Fire Service Medal) Founder of The Resilience Advisors Network (DIREKTION project Network Advisor & Exploitation Lead)
DIREKTION Awards: “Best innovative solutions regarding Disaster and Resilience society gap for first responders”
Projects from the awards program present their solutions:
- Live-Lage – Ralf Berger (German Aerospace Center DLR)
- Terramind FX – Guillaume Cortes (Tyndall FX)
- CamİA – Jilane El Khouly (AzurİA)
- LIUM – Guilain Yvon TBC (Lium Ceo)
- Q&A
12.50 PM – 12:55 PM
- Final remarks and next steps – ALPHA Consult moderator
*The workshop will be recorded and the recording promoted through various communications channels.*
About the EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CLUSTER:
The “Emergency Management Cluster” brings together four Horizon Europe projects – UNICORN, COLLARIS2, DIREKTION and OVERWATCH – to strengthen Europe’s capacity to face climate-driven hazards and disasters. By combining Earth Observation, aerial systems, and advanced crisis data platforms, the cluster delivers innovative tools for early warning, real-time monitoring, and coordinated response.
The growing complexity of disaster scenarios in Europe requires stronger collaboration between research & development, policy, and practice to ensure emergency responders are equipped with effective and future-ready solutions.
Against this background, the Emergency Management Cluster are excelling in building international networks of practioners, disaster assessment frameworks and harnessing the potential of Earth Observation data and new technologies (like AI, Drones, Augmenter Reality and Virtual Reality) to better forecast, plan for and manage disasters. Made up of four EU-funded projects in the field of emergency management the cluster aims to strengthen Europe’s capacity to face climate-driven hazards and disasters and brings together 42 organisations from 17 European countries.
From volcanic eruptions to flood protection, and wildfires, each project addresses different challenges, different disaster types in different EU countries impacting on policy makers, first responders and EU citizens whose lives and homes can be affected.
This webinar brings together researchers, innovators, first responders and disaster managers and policy makers to discuss real-life experiences, needs and potential solutions and to build on recommendations already authored in the RTC Policy Brief “Strengthening Responder Technology in Disasters”.
