The summit aims to create a unified platform for discussions on future drone deliveries to Ukraine and the enhancement of drone capabilities within coalition countries. Latvian Defence Minister Andris Sprūds highlighted the coalition’s commitment to Ukraine, with nearly EUR 2 billion earmarked for drone initiatives, while also underlining the need to bolster the global defence industry’s innovation and production capacity.
A significant aspect of the summit will be the facilitation of international collaboration in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) research and development. This includes exploring opportunities for joint projects and fostering innovation within coalition states. Riga Technical University (RTU) will play a key organisational role, contributing EUR 248,505 and representing Latvia’s academic expertise in defence technology.
The Ministry of Defence has previously collaborated with RTU on initiatives such as the “Defence Makeathon Riga 2022” and the “Drones for Ukraine” hackathon in May 2023. These events aimed to develop innovative solutions for defence challenges and establish a robust ecosystem for defence technology development.
RTU’s contributions extend beyond Latvia, as demonstrated by its involvement in the Baltic AI Hackathon and the international “Deep Tech Atelier 2024” conference. Such events showcase RTU’s commitment to fostering research and innovation across various disciplines, including biotechnology and artificial intelligence.
Source: Latvian Ministry of Defence.
