Development of innovative tools, processes, equipment and technologies through responses to disasters and emergencies for search and rescue in hazardous conditions

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Creation of cutting-edge tools, processes, equipment and technologies to enhance disaster and emergency response capabilities for various practitioners as well as for assets, such as vehicles, aircraft, and heavy equipment; Taking into consideration existing technologies, development of autonomous drones, robotics, and other technologies specifically designed for emergency medical response and search and rescue operations in hazardous conditions such as wildfires, earthquakes and large-scale events; Improvement of response efficiency and safety for survivors and emergency practitioners through the adoption of advanced, technology-driven solutions in disaster scenarios; Consider needs of existing EU-level capacities, emergency reserves, and stockpiling in the deployment of the assets and being able to move them. Scope: The scope of this topic is the development of innovative tools, equipment, and technologies to enhance the capabilities of emergency responders operating in complex and hazardous disaster environments. By leveraging advancements in smart protective equipment, in robotics, autonomous systems, remote sensing, communication and human sensor technologies, the aim is to improve the efficiency, safety, and effectiveness of emergency medical response and search and rescue operations, particularly in high-risk scenarios, such as wildfires, earthquakes and large-scale trauma events. Proposals should explore the design, testing, and validation of innovative solutions capable of performing critical tasks in disaster-stricken areas. These technologies should be tailored to operate in extreme conditions, including high temperatures, unstable terrains, and low-visibility environments and beneficial to all individuals regardless of their age, gender or ability. Research should address challenges related to autonomous navigation, AI-driven decision-making, real-time situational awareness, and seamless integration with existing command-and-control systems used by disaster management. Collaboration of different practitioners should be supported to support proper market uptake. Efforts should be made to enhance interoperability and data-sharing capabilities between various platforms, emergency response teams, and crisis management systems. A key aspect of this research should be the practical deployment and validation of these technologies through field exercises and simulations in real-world disaster scenarios. User-driven design approaches, prioritising inclusivity and accessibilities should ensure that developed solutions align with the operational needs of responders in disasters., Proposals should develop a command-and-control solution that allows organisation of all activities, ensuring a swift, coordinated, and effective response to any disaster with clear plan for uptake after the project. Projects should conduct a stakeholder or market analysis and a roadmap or plan for uptake of the developed methodologies, findings, and technologies to the industry, the research and innovation community, and the relevant authorities. The current response capacities of the European Civil Protection Pool[1] its capacity gaps[2], and the rescEU strategic reserve[3] as well as the EU Stockpiling Strategy should be taken into account in the roadmap to ensure needs-based approach. Thus, the proposals could consider innovation for heavier assets, such as flood containment and high-capacity pumping, transport or response aircraft, shelters and power generators, ground firefighting vehicles and aerial firefighting helicopters. Furthermore, proposals should consider ethical, legal, and social implications associated with the deployment of autonomous technologies in emergency response. Issues such as data privacy, cybersecurity, human- and animal life protection, public acceptance, and compliance with regulatory frameworks should be addressed to facilitate the responsible and effective use of these innovations. Projects should contribute to strengthening Europe’s disaster response capacity by equipping practitioners with state-of-the-art technological solutions that enhance their ability to operate safely and efficiently in life-threatening environments. Alignment with EU policies and international best practices should be ensured to maximize the scalability and real-world applicability of the developed solutions. The Preparedness Union Strategy is a key document in this regard. Finding synergies with projects from operational grants, such as the Knowledge for Action in Prevention & Preparedness (KAPP)[4], is recommended. Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects Activities are expected to achieve TRL 7-8 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. [1] https://civil-protection-knowledge-network.europa.eu/media/ecpp-capacities-brochure [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52025DC0286 [3] https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/civil-protection/resceu_en [4] Knowledge for Action in Prevention and Preparedness (KAPP) - European Commission - https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/funding-evaluations/financing-civil-protection/cp-calls-proposals/knowledge-action-prevention-and-preparedness-kapp-0_en General conditions1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layoutdescribed in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. 2. Eligible Countriesdescribed in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. 3. Other Eligible ConditionsIn line with the “restriction on control in innovation actions in critical technology areas” delineated in General Annex B of the General Annexes, entities established in an eligible country but which are directly or indirectly controlled by China or by a legal entity established in China are not eligible to participate in the action. Subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks. Due to the scope of this topic, relevant international organisations with headquarters in a Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country are exceptionally eligible for funding. The following additional eligibility criteria apply: This topic requires the active involvement, as beneficiaries, of at least 2 practitioner organisations (first responders) and 2 medical emergency authorities from at least 3 different EU Member States or Associated Countries. For these participants, applicants must fill in the table “Information about security practitioners” in the application form with all the requested information, following the template provided in the submission IT tool. If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used). described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. 4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusiondescribed in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholdsare described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processesare described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. 5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreementdescribed in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes. 6. Legal and financial set-up of the grantsThe granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]]. described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme] Some activities resulting from this topic may involve using classified background and/or producing of security sensitive results (EUCI and SEN). Please refer to the related provisions in section B Security — EU classified and sensitive information of the General Annexes. Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA): Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) HE Programme Guide Model Grant Agreements (MGA) Lump Sum MGA Call-specific instructions Detailed budget table (HE LS) Information on financial support to third parties (HE) Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?" Additional documents: HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 6. Civil Security for Society HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes HE Programme Guide HE Framework Programme 2021/695 HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764 EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement To access the Electronic Submission Service, please click on the submission-button next to the type of action and the type of model grant agreement that corresponds to your proposal. You will then be asked to confirm your choice, as it cannot be changed in the submission system. Upon confirmation, you will be linked to the correct entry point. To access existing draft proposals for this topic, please login to the Funding & Tenders Portal and select the My Proposals page of the My Area section.

• HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes ↗
• HE Programme Guide ↗
• Online Manual ↗
• Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme ↗
• Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) ↗
• Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) ↗
• Lump Sum MGA ↗
• Detailed budget table (HE LS) ↗
• Information on financial support to third parties (HE) ↗
• Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?" ↗
• HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction ↗
• HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 6. Civil Security for Society ↗
• Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment ↗
• EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement ↗
• Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions ↗
• Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement ↗