Press

When international robotics experts gathered at the Hammelburg military training area 2006 for the first European Land Robot Trial (ELROB), no one could have predicted that it would become such a success story. Two decades later, this demanding performance comparison of military robotics is now a fixture in the calendars of researchers, clients and users alike. In the anniversary year 2026, the Swiss Federal Office for Armament armasuisse will host ELROB, which will take place from 15 to 19 June at the Thun military training area.

These were probably the most difficult scenarios since the European Robotics Hackathon (EnRicH) premiered in 2017: At the beginning of July, more than 120 robotics experts from all over Europe and Canada gathered at the never-operational Zwentendorf nuclear power plant near Vienna to test their ground robots and drones under realistic conditions at the 5th EnRicH. In the three main categories “Search & Rescue,” “Mapping,” and “Manipulation,” the organizing team from the Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics FKIE had placed an emphasis on combined scenarios for driving and flying systems, which posed problems for many teams. Many – but not all.

How can police security forces successfully detect and defend against drones? The research project "IDAS-PRO" provides an answer to this question: During the major final demonstration in Mosbach, Baden-Württemberg, the drone defense system developed over two and a half years was successfully showcased in realistic test scenarios. The attending users particularly noted the flexible deployment options of the overall system. "IDAS-PRO" can assist in many threat scenarios, including the protection of critical infrastructures (KRITIS), industrial facilities, or in a military context.

The fifth edition of the European Robotics Hackathon (EnRicH) near Vienna will start at the end of June with a new record number of participants: 15 teams from all over Europe and Canada will meet from 30 June to 4 July 2025 at the Zwentendorf nuclear power plant (NPP), which has never been in operation, to test their robotic systems under realistic conditions. It is not only the unusual venue that is unique in the world.

It is with great sadness that we bid farewell to an outstanding scientist, fantastic colleague and remarkable man: At the age of 90, Dr. Wulf-Dieter Wirth passed away on February 14, 2025, after a short but serious illness. The research community has lost a trailblazer in the field of radar technology, a creative mastermind and a man who left a long-lasting mark on generations of scientists. Many of us have also lost a cherished friend.

Since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the start of its war of aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, the European security order and, as a result, the mission and direction of the Bundeswehr have changed significantly. Its ‘new old’ core mission is once again national and alliance defence – in close cooperation with NATO and its member and partner nations. Research within NATO creates the necessary standardisation and capabilities to make the alliance fit for its defence tasks. The major challenges include, for instance, uninterrupted communication and cooperation in joint operations. The NATO research group "Edge Computing at the Tactical Edge" (IST-193) is working on an important prerequisite for this: the federation of the various national clouds.

The name Dr. Wulf-Dieter Wirth conjures up a picture of an extraordinary man — a researcher whose impact on the development of radar technology is unrivalled still today. His expertise is held in the very highest esteem worldwide, and his pioneering spirit is the stuff of legends. Wirth, who holds the role of Senior Scientist at the Wachtberg-based Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics FKIE, celebrated his 90th birthday back in August. The landmark occasion added yet another outstanding achievement to his career, as he is officially the oldest of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s approximately 32,000 employees.

Preparations have been underway since September with the first teams having already registered: In early July 2025, robotics experts from all over the world will come together for the 5th time at the European Robotics Hackathon (EnRicH) near Vienna. At the Zwentendorf Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), a site that has never been in operation, they will spend a week testing their robotic systems under the most difficult conditions – and simulating emergency scenarios under real world conditions.

Robot systems explore unfamiliar terrain, buildings or danger zones with cameras. In the 3D-InAus project, researchers from the Fraunhofer FKIE are using a LiDAR laser on a mobile robot, emitting laser pulses to measure distances. The results are used to produce geometrically accurate 3D environments.

For their dedicated leadership and collaboration in the NATO STO Research Task Group “Full-Duplex Radio Technology for Military Applications” (IST-175-RTG) Fraunhofer FKIE scientists Prof. Dr. Marc Adrat, Dr. Markus Antweiler and Matthias Tschauner have been awarded the “NATO Information Systems Technology (IST) Panel Team Excellence Award.” In its statement, the jury emphasized the great importance of their research for NATO: The newly developed “in-band full-duplex” technology paves the way for the Alliance's military superiority in the electromagnetic spectrum. For essential key disciplines on the battlefield of the future, whether in communications or drone defense, the technology is of the highest practical relevance for future NATO missions.