Spade Open Call #2 applicants is Open Now

SPADE’S SECOND OPEN CALL FOR APPLICANTS IS OPEN NOW

SPADE Open Call #2: Funding Opportunity for Innovators in Agriculture, Forestry, and Livestock

SPADE is excited to announce Open Call #2, inviting talented innovators to contribute cutting-edge solutions in drone technology, AI, and precision agriculture. With a total budget of €525,000, this initiative aims to support nine groundbreaking projects focused on advancing agriculture, forestry, and livestock management through UAV technology. Eight selected projects will receive €60,000 each, while one project will be awarded €45,000, with a project duration of six months.

Call for Applicants – OPEN NOW

Are you developing innovative UAV solutions for agriculture, forestry, or livestock? Open Call #2 offers funding opportunities for projects addressing key industry challenges. With a total budget of €525,000, selected projects will receive financial support and six months to develop cutting-edge solutions. Eligible participants include universities, research centers, SMEs, and NGOs across the EU and Horizon Europe-associated countries.

Research Areas & Challenges

  • Open-Field Case Study (Spain)
  • Forestry Case Study (Norway)
  • Livestock Case Study (Greece)
  • Universal Consideration Across Case Studies

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must be legally established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Eligible entities include universities, research centers, NGOs, foundations, SMEs, and startups. Each proposal must be submitted by a single entity (no consortiums allowed), and organizations may submit a maximum of two proposals (one per challenge). Proposals that have already received funding from other sources are ineligible to prevent duplicate funding.

Why Join SPADE?

  • Secure Funding: Up to €60,000 to develop and test your solution
  • Tackle Real-World Challenges: Apply your expertise to agriculture, forestry, and livestock sectors
  • Gain Visibility: Present your innovations to industry leaders and stakeholders
  • Drive Sustainability: Contribute to the future of precision farming and environmental monitoring

Key Dates & Selection Process

  • Applicant Registration: 24 March – 26 May 2025, 17:00 Brussels Time
  • Evaluation: June – July 2025
  • Legal Validation & Agreement Signing: July 2025
  • Project Implementation: August 2025 – January 2026

Interested applicants must register and complete the registration form, and submit their proposals using the provided templates.
Full guidelines and FAQs are available to support applicants throughout the process.

Learn more about SPADE OPEN CALLS #2 for Applicants

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2nd open call Info Day schedule

SPADE Open Call #2 – Info Days

SPADE Project invites SPADE Open Call #2 Applicants and Evaluators to join SPADE Info Days

We are excited to invite you to the SPADE Info Days, a series of engaging sessions where you will discover the latest updates, insights, and opportunities in open-source innovation and cutting-edge case studies. Mark your calendars and join us for these informative events!

  • Info Day 1: General Overview

    📅 Date: 26th March 2025

    ⏰ Time: 10:00 CET

    Topics:

    • General Presentation
    • Open Source Criteria
    • Open Call #2 Presentation
    Watch our recording on YouTube

  • Info Day 2: Challenges Presentations on Universal Consideration Across Case Study and Forestry Case Study

    📅 Date: 10th April 2025

    ⏰ Time: 09:00 CEST

    Topics:

    • UCU-CH1: Swarm Communication and Navigation
    • UCU-CH2: Open-Source Tilted Rotor Drone System
    • CS2-CH1: Below-Canopy Forest Data Collection and Annotation
    • CS2-CH2: Ultralight Self-levelling Landing Gear for Quadrotor Drones
    Watch our recording on YouTube

  • Indo Day 3: Challenges Presentations on Livestock Case Study

    📅 Date: 10th April 2025

    ⏰ Time: 10:00 CEST

    Topics:

    • CS3-CH1: Virtual Fencing Application for Livestock Grazing Management
    Watch our recording on YouTube

  • Indo Day 4: Challenges Presentations on Universal Consideration Across Case Study, Open-field Case Study and Livestock Case Study

    📅 Date: 11th April 2025

    ⏰ Time: 11:00 CEST

    Topics:

    • UCU-CH3: Aerial Image Processing Service
    • CS1-CH1: ML for based Disease Detection in Mediterranean Crops
    • CS1-CH2: Open Field Data Collection and Annotation
    • CS3-CH2: Acquiring and Structuring Livestock Open-field Animal Wellbeing/Healthcare Datasets for Training ML Models
    Watch our recording on YouTube

Spade Open Call #2 Evaluators is Open Now

SPADE’S SECOND OPEN CALL FOR EVALUATORS IS OPEN NOW!

SPADE is advancing drone technology for agriculture, forestry, and livestock management through Open Call #2. We invite innovators to develop groundbreaking solutions and evaluators to assess proposals that will drive sustainable advancements in these fields.

Call for Evaluators – OPEN NOW

Are you an expert in drone technology, AI, precision agriculture, or forestry and livestock monitoring? SPADE is seeking independent evaluators to assess Open Call #2 proposals. Evaluators will play a key role in ensuring a fair and high-quality selection process by reviewing applications based on technical and scientific criteria.

Why Join SPADE?

  • Gain recognition as a contributor to a major EU innovation project
  • Network with top industry experts, researchers, and policymakers
  • Enhance your professional portfolio with high-impact experience
  • Receive financial compensation for your expertise

Eligibility Criteria

  • Extensive experience in evaluating technological projects

  • Strong technical, scientific, or commercial knowledge of drone applications

  • Neutrality: No affiliations with SPADE Open Call #2 applicants or consortium members

Key Dates:

  • Evaluator Registration: 10 March – 7 April 2025, 17:00 Brussels Time
  • Proposal Evaluation: 08 April – 15 April 2025
  • Onboarding Webinar: 19 May 2025
  • Final Evaluations: 10 June – 30 June 2025

Join SPADE and be part of a transformative initiative in smart agriculture, forestry, and livestock management.
Learn more about SPADE OPEN CALL for Evaluators (EV)

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