The Consortium

AIDEDeX is the result of a collaboration of 4 research and technology centers (RMA, Fraunhofer EMI, CATEC, HTR-CTRO) and 2 SMEs (SPACEAPPS, Lightnovo-LN).

	Space Applications Services is an independent Belgian company founded in 1987, with head office in Zaventem, Belgium, an office in Noordwijk, the Netherlands and a subsidiary in Houston, USA. Its aim is to research and develop innovative systems, solutions and products, and provide services to the aerospace, security markets and related industries. Space Applications Services’ activities cover manned and unmanned spacecraft, earth observation, science, exploration, communications, launch/re-entry vehicles, air traffic management, robotics and a wide range of technology developments.
	The Royal Military Academy is a military institution of university education responsible for the academic, military and physical training of future officers, and for the continuing advanced training of officers during their active career in the Defence department. Two units are participating to AIDED : - The Belgian military demining brigade DOVO has nearly a century of experience as an EOD team. Due to its vast experience in the domain, the DOVO team is often sent out internationally to assist in crisis operations. - The Robotics & Autonomous Systems unit of the Department of Mechanics of the Belgian Royal Military Academy is a research laboratory specialized in the design, development and control of unmanned systems, both unmanned ground vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles. The lab conducts research in varied domains, ranging from very fundamental aspects to the development of prototype products. Research activities include not only military robotics, but also robotics for crisis management operations and humanitarian demining.
	The Andalusian Foundation for Aerospace Development (FADA) is a non-profit organisation that takes care of the management of CATEC research centre. The main goal is to promote and develop technological knowledge and its transfer to the industrial aerospace production fabric, through activities of applied research, technological development and Knowledge management (prospective, surveillance and competitive intelligence, protection, transfer and industrialization). CATEC currently has above 100 researchers and it is the main Spanish technology center developing technologies for drones/UAS. The Avionics and Systems Division will be the one involved in this project. This Division includes more than 50 researchers working on aerial robotics technologies and it has a large experience, more than 14 years of experience, in developing solutions and applications with aerial robots. The centre has developed novel technologies at international level, such as aerial manipulation with drones, landing of a UAV on a mobile platform without GPS, and autonomous intelligent navigation in indoor environments.
	Hrvatski centar za razminiranje – Centar za testiranje, razvoj i obuku (HCR-CTRO) was founded in 2003. by the Croatian Mine Action Centre (CROMAC). HCR-CTRO is the leading test and evaluation institution in the field of humanitarian mine action in Europe, with its experts and two test sites. It has a Scientific Council – a think-tank gathering university professors, and scientists, who engage in R&D projects . The center has a prominent place on the global mine action and counter-explosive stage, with three main activity fields: (i) Testing and certification of equipment used for detecting and clearing landmines, UXO, and other explosive devices (ii) Training courses for deminers, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), managers, and practitioners (iii) Development and validation of new technologies and techniques for detecting landmines, UXO, and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).
	Fraunhofer has performed applied R&D since its foundation in 1949. In particular, the Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institut (FHG), has been conducting defence-related research in Germany since 1959. With specific expertise on high-speed measurement techniques, acceleration and shock testing, ballistics, and explosion mechanics, the institute is internationally renown.
	Lightnovo ApS is located in Birkerød, Denmark and was founded in 2019 as a spin-out from Technical University of Denmark. Lightnovo specialises in providing innovative Raman spectroscopy solutions, both premium research-grade performance and small form factor devices. Lightnovo’s mission is to make Raman spectroscopy widely accessible for research, industry, and healthcare applications. Lightnovo have a full range of portable Raman devices, such as handheld miniRaman spectrometer and microscope based on it, all manufactured in the company and available for customization and measurement in the field. Additionally, Lightnovo has built its own high-performance artifact-free polarisation Raman microscope with multiple laser wavelengths available for measurements in a lab.