ICAERUS PULL 2

1) Is it possible to apply as a consortium of two SMEs? We will be applying and would like to collaborate with a company that is specialized in the development of drone technologies. Can we apply as partners or do we have to list them as a sub-contractor?

No it is not possible to apply as a consortium. The ICAERUS PULL 2 Open Call only accepts individual applicants. It is possible to use sub-contracting to engage the service of other parties. For more details please section Section 3.1 Eligible costs, bullet point 5. Subcontracting (pg 14) of the PULL OC Applicant's Guide.

2) Is it encouraged to propose a project that addresses several of the topics from the open call? For example, our project would fall under Applying innovative solutions, Logistics and supply management and Public safety. Or should we focus on a singular topic?

The examples provided in Section 2.2 topics for FFRC (page 7-8) are indicative of the types of sub-projects that are expected to be funded but are not limited to those listed. In order to be eligible however, proposals need to address challenges in rural areas (pg8). Furthermore, proposals will be evaluated on the 4 criteria listed in section 3.5.3 Key points for evaluation (pg 16) of the applicant's guide. It would be best to consider how such a decision might affect each criteria.

3) Are there any merits known for the deliverable of the Phase 2 (Development)? Is there a suggested or expected Technology Readiness Level?

The phase 2 deliverable is part of the implementation of selected projects and its successful submission is tied to the release of 50% of the funding (see section 4.1 Implementation timeline and activities).In the proposal phase it should be mentioned within the work plan which can be found in the proposal template under section 3.4 work plan (pg 4). With regards to the TRL, the proposal template Section 5.3 Technology Readiness Level requests a description of the starting and the target TRL. It is also a criteria for evaluation (technology readiness and innovation development 20%), however no mandatory TRL target is specified.

4) In the open call document, there are use cases already listed. Are those use cases from the previous open calls, or are those suggested use cases for this open call? Forestry for example has: Forestry and Biodiversity UC (Lithuania): a) Monitor forest tree health through the use of drones, satellites and data science; b) identify and inspect areas of potentially high fire risk; c) Monitor ecosystems and assess biodiversity and wildlife populations; d) Evaluate the capacity of drones to manage or prevent the expansion of infectious diseases affecting both feral and domestic animals. Is this the scope for the forestry part, or can we apply on broader topics as described in 2.2 part of the Open Call Text document?

The 5 Uses Cases described are part of ICAERUS project not the open call component. They are provided in the open call document to give applicants some context around the project. The partners leading those use cases are all members of the ICAERUS consortium.

5) As we perform environmental monitoring BUT we are not a business entity, can we apply for the current "ICAERUS PULL 2 Open Call" - as single partner, - as lead partner or - as a (simple) partner of a consortium, considering we are not a business oriented and we are public?

The Open Call accepts proposals from environmental monitoring entities, which includes public bodies. Only individual applicants (not consortia) are eligible.

6) Are the end-users from the agricultural sector targeted as well by the call? Since the title mentions “farming” but the call is specifically mentioning “agri-food” producers , I am wondering whether plant growers are still eligible?

End-users are not restricted to farmers, any end user with the agri-food sector or rural community would be suitable. The most important aspect is addressing rural challenges.

7) Are you expecting collaborative or individual projects? When the call states that “each winner may ask 50k euros, is it referring to a project or one singular applicant?

'Winner' refers to each sub-project, but we are only accepting single applicants for this open call.

8) Is it expected that the drones/solutions adopted by end-users in France are related to the sectoral droine usage identified in the use cases (Livestock Monitoring UC) or can they be related to other uses cases?

The end -users are not required to have any connection to the use cases in the given country. They are also not restricted to the 5 categories of the use cases.

9) Can the applicants only be SMEs or also research / academic partners?

The PULL Open Call is targeting SMEs and rural communities/cooperatives. Please refer to Section 2.3.1 of the Applicant's guide for more information on the definition of SME.  

 3.2.1 Definition of an SME eligible for ICAERUS Open Calls An SME is considered as such if it complies with the European Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC 1 , and the SME user guide . In summary, the criteria which define an SME are the following:

 • Independent, partner or linked enterprises, with financial and staff figures calculated in accordance with instructions given by Recommendation 2003/361/EC 3 . 

• It is a legal entity established and based in one of the EU Member States or an HE Associated country as defined in HE rules for participation 4 (see section 3.2.3). 

• Headcount in Annual Work Unit (AWU) less than 500. 

• Annual turnover less or equal to €100 million. If applicants are not sure whether they comply with the SME criteria, an online SME self-assessment questionnaire is provided by the EC, for these purposes, on this link: SME self-assessment questionnaire.

10) Доброго дня, ми не являємося кінцевими споживачами, але ми надаємо послуги в Україні агродронами. І наразі маємо великий попит на замовлення але наші дрони потребуть фінансування.

No answer provided yet.

11) Can we apply for participation if we are not end users, because we are a company that provides field processing services with agrodrones in Ukraine, and we also plan to scale to other countries?

In order to be eligible applicants need to be either an SME or rural community/cooperative (see 3.2.1 and 3.2.2 of Applicant's Guide).

The aim of the PULL 2 Open Call is to attract end-users (agri-food producers, environmental monitoring entities and rural communities) to utilise drones and services built around them for individual commercial needs and/or community-related issues. This is in contrast to the PUSH Open Calls which were targeting drone innovators to develop ideas/concepts/prototypes. This means the end user and meeting the needs of the end user should be at the center of the sub-project rather than the enhancement of products themselves.

12) I have seen ICAERUS PULL 2 Open Call and wanted to ask if its only limited to air drones or land drones are also of interest? Can you shortly elaborate please?

The ICAERUS project itself stands for "Innovation and Capacity building in Agricultural, Environmental and Rural UAV services" so the project focus is on UAVs. The PULL2 Open Call text however has not explicitly required the drones be only UAVs, so as long as the needs of rural areas are met and the proposal aims "attracts end-users to utilise drones and services built around them for individual commercial needs and/or community-related issues ", they would be eligible.

13) What is pre financial?

Dear potential applicant,

Could you please elaborate upon your question?

"What is pre financial?"

Kind regards,

The ICAERUS Open Call Team

14) What kind of output do you expect to see in the applicants’ projects?

Besides the deliverables (a series of reports), the specific outputs will depend on the nature of the drone-based solution you are working with. All sub-projects will be expected to contribute to the following:

- Enhancing the Drone Data Analytics Library - Datasets on Zenodo and Models to our GitHub 

- Participate in Demo events & present your OCT results (when possible)

- Dissemination activities 

- Complete a stakeholder analysis survey to help Understand the Drone Market

- Provide input on Business and Governance Models & the ICAERUS Academy (when relevant and possible)

15) Will the selected applications benefit of the ICAERUS’ know-how (technological support) and platform?

Yes, there will be a strong connection with the drone data analytics library and the platform. We also offer value-added services that will focus on the business aspect of the sub-project solutions. The technical partners also offer support, when possible.

16) Would there be any problem if, in the frame of our project, we would use one of the Drone service provider companies from the ICAERUS consortium as subcontractor (For ex. Noumena, GeoSense)? Could you advise us any drone service provider that we could use in the frame of our project in the technological scope of irrigation, agronomy data, fertility, crop protection/pest identification/focused pesticide?

No, it is not allowed to involve members of the ICAERUS consortium.

17) Is there any specific security/safety issue that is a priority for ICAERUS?

Safe drone operation and adherence to all national and EU regulations related to drones and their services are priorities for ICAERUS.

18) We are developing a comprehensive service package for forestry companies and forest managers (aerial survey of vast areas of forests). Currently, our service package is at TRL 4. Through the ICAREUS grant, we aim to elevate the software to TRL 7. Within the ICAREUS call which call type (PUSH or PULL) should we apply for? In case we can apply for the PUSH type, when is the next call for proposal is expected to open for innovation and development?

No answer provided yet.

19) In the proposal template, it is stated: "The total length of the entire proposal, including the tables on Costs justification and funding (paragraph 6), must not exceed 10 pages (the cover page and Table of Contents are included in this 10-page limit)." Shouldn't it refer to paragraph 7 instead of paragraph 6? Does this mean that every section, without exception, must fit within the 10-page limit? Additionally, would it be acceptable to merge sections 7.1 and 7.2 into one page?

No answer provided yet.

20) In the call is reported that uin case of multi-submission the last one will be considered. How Can I replace the file and update data after submission? because at moment the portal does not give this opportunity

No answer provided yet.

21) Hello, I succesfully submitted our proposal. In the section "Organization/company name:" the form has already filled in my first name (without letting me change it neither now nor before I press submit). The same happens in the section "Sector" which fills in my last name

No answer provided yet.