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

Expected outcomes

• Projects may contribute to some of the expected outcomes; say which ones and why.
• For each outcome (EO1 to EO4), name who will use or adopt your results (a specific group, not “industry” or “society”), how they get them, and the indicator that shows the change, with baseline, target and date.
• Use the topic's own words for each outcome, so the evaluator can tick it off.

What the scope asks for

Evaluators check the proposal against these sentences of the scope. Answer each one visibly, in the call's own words.

• “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 its capacity gaps, and the rescEU strategic reserve as well as the EU Stockpiling Strategy should be taken into account in the roadmap to ensure needs-based approach.”
• “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.”

Conditions that shape the proposal

• Part B, sections 1–3: 45 pages (standard application form). Text beyond the limit is not read; tables and figures count.
• Lump sum: the budget is fixed per work package and paid when each work package is completed. Every work package needs activities and deliverables an evaluator can verify, and the effort must match the money.
• TRL: the topic expects TRL 7–8 by the end of the project. State where you start and the evidence for it.
• Innovation action: evaluators expect a plausible path to commercialisation and named first users or customers.
• Other Eligible Conditions: “In 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…”
• Other Eligible Conditions: “Subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks.”
• Other Eligible Conditions: “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.”
• Other Eligible Conditions: “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.”
• Other Eligible Conditions: “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.”

Impact pathway and traps

• The topic expects cooperation with other projects or initiatives. Reserve effort and budget for it in the work plan.
• The gender dimension is named in the topic. Show how sex and gender analysis enters the research content, not only team balance.
• Market uptake is part of the scope. Evaluators look for a credible route to market with named first adopters.
• Policy or regulation is in scope. Name the policy owners you will reach and what you will give them.
• Keep outputs, outcomes and impacts apart: what you deliver, what changes when others use it, and the long-term effect.
• Link your outcomes to the destination's expected impacts in the Work Programme. Destination impacts are long-term effects, not project deliverables.
• Name the barriers outside the project (regulation, markets, user behaviour) that could block uptake, and what you will do if they do.
• Section 2.3 (the summary canvas) is optional on this call; the old split into scientific, economic and societal impact is no longer required.