REGDUALOSA Regional case study in Podkarpackie region (Poland)

The Podkarpackie Innovation Center in Rzeszow (Poland) hosted a stakeholders consultation exploring the role of aerial robotics and drones in fostering regional development and European strategic autonomy, in the context of REGDUALOSA (Reg-ions, Dual Use, and Open Strategic Autonomy), an exploratory research activity of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in collaboration with:

• the Marshal’s Office of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship (Poland)
• the Regional Ministry of Industry and Energy in Andalusia (Spain)
• Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication of Estonia

Podkarpackie Region: A region with key capabilities and a UAV place-based approach   

Located on Poland's southeastern border with Ukraine, the Podkarpackie region plays an important role in European aerospace. Despite being one of Poland's less economically developed areas, it boasts a concentration of 95% of the country’s aerospace industry, directly employing over 34,000 people. Its Smart Specialisation Strategy prioritises aviation and cosmonautics, making it a natural choice for this case study.

The region's scientific strength is underscored by institutions like the Rzeszów University of Technology, which has supported the aerospace sector for over 70 years. This combination of industrial and academic expertise positions Podkarpackie as a leader in unmanned aerial systems (UAV) innovation.

Podkarpackie case study is being conducted by professor Tomasz Rogalski of the Rzeszow University of Technology

Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the Podkarpackie Region

Some of the key issues addressed were:

• Collaboration challenges between business and academia
• The need to accelerate the innovation cycle, reducing the time to market through agile development processes
• The urgency for simplified EU funding procedures for SMEs and startups 
• Funding sources through public-private partnerships to overcome infrastructure limitations
• Public Administration needs and adequate public procurement for innovation
• Concerns about competing with Chinese manufacturers and the dependence on their components
• European Legislation and enhanced regional control over airspace
• The need for Specialized training programs for drone operation
• Regional and Stakeholder Cooperation

Attendance

A riche group stakeholders were invited: manufacturers of UAV systems, components, and software suppliers, Rzeszow University of Technology, War Studies University, Military University of Technology, the Łukasiewicz – Poznański Instytut Technologiczny, end users (police, fire brigades, border guards), Public Administration (Ministry of National Defence, Ministry of Development and Technology, and other relevant agencies), industry clusters and businesses such as the Cluster Aviation Valley, Podkarpackie Centrum Innowacji and local development agencies, and members of the Podkarpackie Innovation Council and various industry vocational centres.

See the agenda