{"id":100262435,"date":"2026-09-28T09:15:30","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T07:15:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fh-joanneum.at\/?post_type=press&p=100262435"},"modified":"2026-09-28T09:15:30","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T07:15:30","slug":"fh-joanneum-brings-international-drone-research-to-austria-and-gives-students-hands-on-experience","status":"publish","type":"press","link":"https:\/\/www.fh-joanneum.at\/en\/press\/fh-joanneum-brings-international-drone-research-to-austria-and-gives-students-hands-on-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"FH JOANNEUM brings international drone research to Austria \u2013 and gives students hands-on experience"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Angela Thaller
\nLeiterin PR & Marketing
\nT: +43 316 5453 \u2013 8815
\nE: angela.thaller@fh-joanneum.at<\/a><\/p>\n

Marion Velik
\nMitarbeiterin PR & Marketing
\nT: +43 316 5453 \u2013 8863
\nE: marion.velik@fh-joanneum.at<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Dr.-Ing.<\/p>\n

Holger Friehmelt<\/h6>\n

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Around 100 international experts, researchers and students, two days, two venues: on 23 and 24 September 2026, FH JOANNEUM \u2013 University of Applied Sciences, became the hub of international drone research. What was discussed and developed at FH JOANNEUM in Graz was put into practice on the second day: unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were tested under real alpine conditions in the Steinalpl drone test area. This marked the first time the \u2018UAV Flight Test Convention\u2019 had been held in Austria and at FH JOANNEUM \u2013 and it highlighted what a university of applied sciences stands for: not only imparting knowledge but also testing and further developing it in practice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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International expertise on the future of drones<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The first day of the event on the FH JOANNEUM campus in Graz was devoted to current research questions and technological developments<\/strong>: speakers included representatives from, amongst others, Airbus, the Estonian Aviation Academy, the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the ZHAW School of Engineering in Winterthur, the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and the Institute of Aviation<\/strong> at FH JOANNEUM. Representatives from the Austrian aviation authority Austro Control<\/strong> and the German centre of excellence for drone applications, KDS DroneTEC<\/strong>, also shared their perspectives. The topics<\/strong> covered in the presentations and discussions ranged from new applications and autonomous operations to logistics, airspace regulation and authorisation procedures. Among other things, the use of drones for deliveries, applications in nature observation and new testing methods were presented. Input on BVLOS flights – that is, drone flights beyond visual line of sight – and cross-border operations were also on the agenda. In this way, the conference linked different research locations across national borders and created a platform for exchange within the UAV community.<\/p>\n

From university to test site: putting research to the test under real-world conditions<\/strong><\/h4>\n

On the first day of the conference, students<\/strong> from FH JOANNEUM presented their successful projects<\/strong>: the Design-Build-Fly team<\/strong> is building a model aircraft for the annual Design-Build-Fly competition organised by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)<\/a>. The aeronautics students combine theoretical knowledge from their studies with practical development work – from design and manufacture through to flight testing and collaboration with external partners. Most recently, a team secured overall victory in the DBF competition in 2025. The JOANNEUM Arctic Expedition Team<\/strong> also introduced itself: students and lecturers from FH JOANNEUM tested drone technologies and sensor systems, amongst other things, in Greenland and Sweden under Arctic conditions – practical research that took them straight from their studies into the field.<\/p>\n

Second day at Austria’s largest drone test site<\/h4>\n

Following the first day of the event, which concluded with an evening function at the Austrian Aviation Museum at Graz Airport<\/a>, the ‘UAV Flight Test Convention’ moved on to Austria’s largest drone test site, Steinalpl in the Mürzsteg Alps on the Styria\/Lower Austria border<\/strong> (originally established by the innovation laboratory AIRlabs), on the second day. UAV systems were tested under real alpine conditions across an area of around 102 square kilometres.<\/p>\n

From knowledge to application<\/h4>\n

The “UAV Flight Test Convention”<\/a> brought together two aspects of applied research: professional exchange and testing under real-world conditions. “For us, this is the strength of our university: our students should not just talk about new technologies, but develop, test and experience them for themselves. When international experts meet our students here and what is discussed at our university is tested under real-world conditions the very next day, that’s when applied research really becomes tangible for us,” said Martin Payer and Corinna Engelhardt-Nowitzki, the management team at FH JOANNEUM<\/strong>, regarding the Austrian premiere of the conference at FH JOANNEUM.<\/p>\n

Holger Friehmel<\/strong>t, Head of the Institute and of the Bachelor’s<\/a> and Master’s<\/a> degree programmes in Aviation at FH JOANNEUM, brought the “UAV Flight Test Convention” to Austria with his team: “With this convention, we have brought together different perspectives and, at the same time, created the opportunity not only to discuss research, but also to experience it first-hand and engage in international exchange.”<\/p>\n

The “UAV Flight Test Convention” was initiated by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR)<\/a>, Airbus and the Technical University of Munich<\/a>, and has previously taken place in locations including Cochstedt in Germany. The seventh edition marked the international convention’s first visit to Austria. The event was supported by AIRlabs Austria 2.0<\/a> and Steiermärkische Sparkasse<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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