Drones have become a central tool for operations ranging from emergency response and search and rescue to the protection of critical infrastructure – while also introducing new challenges and threats. NTNU Civil Security therefore organized a drone workshop, bringing together the Armed Forces, emergency services, and industry to share experiences, research, and operational perspectives.

The intensive program offered a broad range of perspectives from defense, emergency preparedness, infrastructure, academia, and industry. Participants gained insights spanning operational experiences in Ukraine to research on autonomous systems, drone detection, and the protection of critical functions.

Military experiences and civilian applications

“The use of drones in Ukraine has fundamentally changed air operations, tactics, and countermeasures. The lessons learned there are also highly relevant for Norwegian defense and total defense,” emphasized Lars Peder Haga, Associate Professor in Air Power at the Air Force Academy.

Lars Peder Haga, Associate Professor in Air Power at the Air Force Academy. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri

“Drones give us entirely new opportunities to monitor and secure the power grid – in the air, on water, and underwater. At the same time, they reveal new threats and vulnerabilities that require improved detection and closer cooperation on drone security,” stated Espen Blomli, Statnett.

Espen Blomli, Statnett. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri

Drones in emergency response, fire, and rescue

“Drones provide rapid situational awareness, better decision support, and new opportunities for coordination in fire and rescue operations. We are now taking the next step with remotely operated drones from drone hangars and increased use of AI,” said Sverre Hogstad, Trøndelag Fire and Rescue Service – TBRT.

Sverre Hogstad, Trøndelag Fire and Rescue. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri

“Drones allow for rapid search, comprehensive coverage, and valuable situational understanding, while enabling footprint-free access before other resources are deployed. For now, economic constraints primarily limit capacity and sensor quality,” explained Marte Ramsvik Halvorsen, PhD candidate at NTNU Social Security.

Marte Ramsvik Halvorsen, PhD candidate at NTNU Social Security. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri

Airspace, detection, and unauthorized activity

Nikola Tufekcic, Avinor, discussed integrating drones into airspace, new air mobility concepts, and challenges related to unauthorized or unknown drone activity. Drone detection remains challenging, particularly when identifying the operator and intentions. Avinor is developing remote monitoring solutions and considering establishing a central drone detection center, while actively applying lessons learned from Ukraine.

Nikola Tufekcic, Avinor. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri

Security, robotics, and ship recycling

Jonas Rudshaug, Forsvarsbygg and NTNU, highlighted how drone threats affect physical protection of buildings, facilities, and critical functions. NTNU conducts experimental tests to gather data for relevant scenarios and stressed the importance of close collaboration between academia, defense, and industry.

Vedran Simic, NTNU Shore Control Lab, presented the use of robotics and drones for inspection in ship recycling. The aim is to reduce human presence in hazardous environments and develop solutions that can be used by, for, and with humans in high-risk areas.

Vedran Simic, NTNU Shore Control Lab. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri

Kosras Alexis, Professor at the Department of Engineering Cybernetics, demonstrated how autonomous robot and drone systems are trained and deployed on land, underground, and underwater. The future lies in autonomous systems operating in collaborative groups, with development accelerating rapidly.

Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri

Drones as a security policy challenge

“Drones are evolving dramatically as a threat and are increasingly used as part of complex and hybrid conflicts. They blur the line between civilian and military domains,” warned Cecilie Hellestveit, international law researcher and newly appointed Associate Professor at NTNU.

Cecilie Hellestveit. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri

In the panel debate, including Thomas Tybell, Dean of the IE Faculty at NTNU, and Anders Bjørånesset Åsheim, Forsvarsmateriell (FMA), the need for collaboration was highlighted. The Armed Forces’ drone strategy is largely about cooperation, not just technology.

“This development is happening now, not tomorrow. Our adversaries can use technology that is not fully developed. We cannot, and then we risk falling behind,” said Kjetil Skaugset, Equinor.

Cecilie Hellestveit, Kjetil Skaugset and Thomas Tybell. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri

Collaboration for the future of societal security

The workshop clearly demonstrated how drones impact the full spectrum from emergency response and rescue to defense, infrastructure, and research.

NTNU Social Security is a key partner for NORDSEC, Ocean Autonomy Cluster, and the Defense Conference, and the workshop underscored the importance of closer cooperation between academia, public actors, and industry to meet a rapidly evolving threat and technology landscape.

Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri