EU Agency Allocates €1 Mln to Counter Unlicensed Drone Activities

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) has announced a €1 million initiative to reward innovators for developing solutions to combat unauthorized drone activities along the European Union's external borders.

This initiative is part of Frontex's commitment to enhancing border management systems' security, efficiency, and resilience.

It aligns with the European Integrated Border Management strategy for 2023–2027.

The competition will take place in two phases. In the first phase, the top five innovations will be awarded €20,000 each, with winners announced in June 2025.

These solutions will then undergo simulation testing in October before final rankings and awards are determined in November.

The total prize pool will be distributed as follows:

First place: €270,000

Second place: €220,000

Third place: €170,000

Fourth and fifth places: €100,000 each

Applications for the competition are open from December 20, 2024, to March 17, 2025, as announced on the official Frontex website.