🏛 EU_PORTAL · 📍 EU
€ 500.000
11/2/2026
29/9/2026
European Defence Fund
AI-based tactical situational awareness using swarms of small robots and drones – organisation of a technological challenge"
Scope:
The automatic analysis of tactical situations using fleets of robots, drones and AI is an important research topic that lacks standardised benchmarks and objective evaluation campaigns.
This call topic aims to set up a testing environment and organise a technological challenge in which research teams will participate, supported by another topic (EDF-2024-LS-RA-CHALLENGE-DIGIT-AISAP-STEP) and possibly other sources of funding. The testing environment should enable objective comparisons between different approaches. Data should be collected during field tests, annotated and shared to enable the validation of the system performances based on precise evaluation criteria and plans, to be provided as part of the call document.
Targeted types of activities: Integrating knowledge, not excluding upstream and downstream activities eligible for research actions.
Indicative budget: EUR 7 000 000 for this topic under the EDF-2026-LS-RA-CHALLENGE call.
Indicative number of proposals to be funded: One proposal is to be funded for this topic.
described in section 5 of the call document.
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
described in section 6 of the call document.
described in section 6 of the call document.
described in section 7 of the call document.
described section 8 of the call document and the Online Manual.
described in section 9 of the call document.
described in section 4 of the call document.
described in section 10 of the call document.
Application form templates
Standard application form (EDF) — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Detailed budget table (EDF LS RA)
List of infrastructure, facilities, assets and resources (EDF)
Actual indirect cost methodology declaration (EDF)
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
EDF Programme Security Instruction (PSI)
Guidelines on FSTP implementation - WP2026
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
For help related to this call, please contact DEFIS-EDF-PROPOSALS@ec.europa.eu
Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – Submission of proposals.
IT Helpdesk – Contact the IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc.
Online Manual – Step-by-step online guide through the Portal processes from proposal preparation and evaluation to reporting on your ongoing project. Valid for all 2021-2027 programmes.