HERON at the Joint Final Event of “SISTER PROJECTS” OMICRON & InfraROB

HERON was part of the joint final event titled ‘Old Roads, New Technologies: Safe and Intelligent Road Asset Management’, which was held on 16 January 2025 in Madrid, Spain. It was co-organised by HERON’s sister projects OMICRON and InfraROB, in collaboration with HERON. The event brought together over 120 participants representing public authorities, infrastructure operators, research institutions, private industry, and other EU-funded innovation projects.

The event showcased cutting-edge research outcomes in smart construction, predictive maintenance, digital inspection, and safe intervention for road infrastructure. It provided an opportunity for a high-level dissemination and networking, aiming to stimulate policy, foster cross-project dialogue, and facilitate the uptake of advanced road asset management technologies.

The event included multiple themed sessions, each focusing on a critical area of innovation: Smart Construction, Digital Inspection and Monitoring, Predictive Maintenance, Smart and Safe Interventions, and two panel discussions. HERON partners contributed to both technical presentations and strategic panels and highlighted the project’s unique contributions to the automation, integration, and safety of road maintenance and inspection operations.

Nikos Bakalos from ICCS delivered a presentation highlighting HERON’s system integration approach. He explained how HERON enables seamless coordination among robotic assets and digital platforms, supported by AI-driven decision-making and intuitive dashboards. Bakalos emphasized the practical outcomes of HERON’s pilots, including improvements in response time, reduced personnel risk, and measurable KPIs for infrastructure intervention.

Yannis Handanos from Olympia Odos participated in the high-level panel titled “Future of Safe and Intelligent Road Management” where he provided a valuable end-user perspective, discussing HERON’s operational testing on Greek highways and the challenges of integrating novel technologies into live traffic environments. His intervention addressed the regulatory landscape, public perception of UAV/UGV systems, and the importance of tailored training for road operators.