A new sector of production is being designed and is constantly “blooming”, which can also be seen in Greece. In recent years, university groups, organizations, and private companies have been exclusively engaged in research, production, development, and domestic industrial production of drones.

The fact that drones can be used in many areas, from agriculture to police and from firefighting to delivery of goods, makes this category one of the newest in our country.

At the same time, the rapid development of artificial intelligence can give even more opportunities to the drone and at the same time “open” the way to the creation of networks of unmanned aerial vehicles that can move in space in a controlled manner. sky.

“Producing drones in Greece is not as difficult as it seems. We specialize in the production of drones, focusing on long flight time And machine vision capabilities And aimed at object recognition and observation“, says in “K” about Stavros Messinisdirector of Smart Flying Machines, a promising aerospace company based in Athens. and production block in Karditsa.

Mr. Messinis points out, of course, that although Greece has the necessary technology drone manufacturing process requires adequate funding and sophisticated coordination.

“We produce most of the structural components in Greece, while the propulsion systems, electronic navigation systems and avionics of our drones are imported from the international market. We aim to develop our own fully aero-electric aircraft as soon as we get enough investment,” he notes.

A useful tool in many areas

What is not yet widely accepted is the fact that the drone is targeted and can serve many different sectors. It can be a useful tool for farmers, rescue workers, firefighters and even the police, while the entertainment industry is no exception as drones are widely used by film companies.

“The drone we have developed is indispensable in all of the above areas, as it has innovative features in the field of object detection and includes advanced machine learning algorithms that can recognize shapes such as vehicles, people, wildlife and other objects,” says Mr. -n. Messini says drones are really valuable to her aerial photography, observation, save, fire detection, wildlife observation and other applications requiring real time detection.

Drones and artificial intelligence

He also notes that the creation of drones with the help of artificial intelligence has not only improved their use, but also gave new momentum in the market.

“Now we’re talking about one thing fully autonomous flight with greater efficiency, longer flight times and improved detection accuracy,” says Mr. Messinis, pointing out that the next steps in the drone industry are even more exciting.

“One of the big next steps in the drone industry will be autonomous air transport and cargo distribution. Advances in artificial intelligence and automation systems are creating the possibility of fully autonomous flight without human intervention. However, this requires a clear regulatory framework and reliable air traffic control (ATC) systems, he emphasizes.

Plan to integrate drones into the airspace

Mr Messinis explains that the EU is already working on a plan to develop a system called UAS Traffic Management (UTM)which will make it safe integration of small drones into the airspace and collision avoidance between them. The specific system will include the use of geofences and special runways that will be monitored in real time with constant communication between drones and the ground.

With another, for big drones work at high altitudes, there are plans their integration into existing air traffic control systemssuch as Automatic Dependent Surveillance and Broadcast Systems (ADS-B) and Automatic Terminal Information Services (ATIS).

“These systems will enable safe and efficient drone control and will require pilots or operators to communicate with air traffic controllers in real time,” Mr. Messinis stresses, pointing out that some companies have received permission and are preparing to hire private aircraft operators. control large drones for use in logistics.

This is just the beginning

In any case, much remains to be done both for the production and use of drones in Greece and for their integration into more sectors.

“Too early for the drone industry made in Greece. It can be said that Greece is taking the first steps in this particular area. However, we at Smart Flying Machines are not alone. There are other companies doing important work, as well as some university research centers doing serious research for the benefit of our industry with significant public support. We expect some of this research to be available to the market,” concludes Mr. Messinis.

It’s time to talk about what we’ve been working on for a year. Say hello to SmartFlyingMachines. Proudly made in Greece. pic.twitter.com/3pYk48Vfz7

– Stav. (@StavMessinis) March 24, 2023