START2 Closing Event

Faster location of missing persons, safer transport of materials, and valuable time savings: drones have the potential to fundamentally change alpine rescue operations. The Interreg project START2 will demonstrate how this technology can save lives in extreme terrain in the future at its final event.

When an emergency occurs in rugged mountainous terrain, rescue teams often reach their physical limits. This is exactly where Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) come into play. To advance this field in a user-centered and practical way, research institutions, technology companies, and mountain rescue services from Italy and Austria have worked closely together over the past few years within the START2 project.

At the upcoming final event, the partners will present their results from the “START2 Living Lab” as well as a joint roadmap for drone operations up to the year 2030. Participants can expect exciting insights into practical use cases – ranging from the use of agile search drones to heavy cargo drones that fly valuable equipment into inaccessible terrain. Furthermore, experts will share key scientific findings on medical emergency evacuations and automated, AI-supported flight planning. In a concluding panel discussion, representatives from research, industry, and rescue services will jointly examine the specific operational challenges of flying in extreme alpine environments.

In addition to the professional exchange, the focus is on cross-border networking. To secure long-term innovative strength in the Alpine region, a new cooperation agreement will be signed during the opening. The event brings together stakeholders from Italy, Austria, and Bavaria, and will be simultaneously translated into German and Italian. Participation is free of charge.