Drones applications arouse interest – FinDrones2024 brought together industry experts

The FinDrones2024 conference, organized jointly by Oulu University of Applied Sciences and BusinessOulu, gathered over one hundred drone researchers, experts, and company representatives from Finland and abroad in Oulu.

The FinDrones2024 conference was held on November 6–7, 2024, at Hotel Lasaretti and this year focused particularly on the use of drones in logistics, security, and agriculture and forestry. The event attracted participants from universities, research institutes, companies, and business development organizations.

One of the most talked-about presentations at the event was given by Emil Kastehelmi from Black Bird Group, who discussed the use of drones in the Ukraine conflict. He illustrated the current, extensive use of drones in Ukraine for tasks such as surveillance, reconnaissance, strikes, supply, and countering enemy drones.

Both sides are constantly developing new drone solutions and adapting to each other’s advancements, which makes drones crucial to modern warfare.

– Drones produce real-time and compelling visual content that keeps the war in everyone’s minds. The control of information space cannot be underestimated, Kastehelmi noted.

Kastehelmi also highlighted the latest applications in drone technology, such as incendiary-carrying “dragon drones” and high-altitude FPV drones that elevate aerial reconnaissance to a new level. He mentioned that finding skilled drone pilots remains a major challenge and emphasized the need for the education system to meet growing technical skill requirements.

Logistics was another major theme on Wednesday. Arttu Viholainen from Osuuskauppa Arina spoke about delivery robots that operate on the streets of Oulu, delivering products to customers. According to Viholainen, the robots have been well-received by the community.

– Our customers appreciate the service, and a significant portion of our new deliveries come from repeat users. It’s also an environmentally friendly service, as 64% of our customers say they would otherwise drive to the store to pick up these items, Viholainen explained.

Leena Vuotovesi from Oulun Liikekeskus ry presented a project to build three drone landing zones in Oulu, including one on the roof of the Pekuri shopping center in the heart of the city. Vuotovesi stressed the importance of new logistics solutions, as transportation accounts for a quarter of Europe’s CO₂ emissions.

– We need new business that benefits both society and the environment, and drone deliveries are an excellent example of this, Vuotovesi emphasized.

The day concluded with a presentation by Kimmo Paajanen from Oulu University of Applied Sciences on the SAAC project, a sustainable aviation development and investment initiative in Northern Ostrobothnia. The project focuses on electric aviation and aims to create sustainable and commercially viable solutions for aviation logistics. This joint project between Oulu University of Applied Sciences and the University of Oulu also includes a planned investment in an electric aircraft.

On Thursday, the conference continued with sessions on security as well as agriculture and forestry, featuring presentations by Mikko Kauppinen from Stora Enso and Roope Näsi from the National Land Survey of Finland. The afternoon focused on scientific contributions, with conference presentations compiled into a JUFO 2-level publication, to be released by Springer in May 2025.

The FinDrones2024 conference provided a comprehensive overview of the potential of drones across various sectors, highlighting the importance of technological solutions in advancing sustainable development and creating new business opportunities in the industry.

Further information

Kimmo Paajanen, project manager, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, tel. +358406612871, kimmo.paajanen@oamk.fi

Explore the full program on the event’s website (redirects to BusinessOulu’s online service).