What is the Battlefield of Things 2: Drones Hackathon?
The Battlefield of Things 2: Drones is a two-and-a-half-day innovation event designed to bring Belgian Defence personnel together with industry experts, drone enthusiasts, students, and researchers.
Together, participants will push the boundaries of UAV technology and examine the business side of growing the drone ecosystem in Belgium.
Whether you’re an experienced professional or a passionate newcomer, this event offers a unique opportunity to engage in hands-on development, tackle real-world challenges, and shape the future of drone technology.
Shaping the challenges
The challenges for Battlefield of Things 2: Drones will be defined over the next few months through a series of workshops with Belgian Defence staff and key actors in the drone ecosystem. They will be focused on three key subjects:
- Technology Innovation – Advancing UAV hardware and software for defence applications, focusing on modular design, adaptability, and resilience.
- Ecosystem Innovation – Strengthening collaboration across academia, industry, and defence to enhance supply chains and business models for drone development.
- Procurement Innovation – Rethinking procurement processes, standards, and partnerships to improve flexibility and efficiency in UAV deployment.
Think you can contribute to the workshops? If you have expertise or ideas that could help shape these challenges, we’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with us.
Who can take part in the Battlefield of Things Hackathon?
Battlefield of Things 2: Drones is open to anyone passionate about UAV technology, regardless of background or experience. We welcome industry professionals, Belgian Defence personnel, students, researchers, and drone enthusiasts to collaborate and innovate.
This includes manufacturers, software developers, and supply chain specialists driving innovation in drone technology, Belgian Defence personnel defining challenges and ensuring solutions align with operational needs, engineering and technology students from universities and colleges applying their skills in AI, robotics, and materials science, and drone enthusiasts and hobbyists from research groups, maker communities, and drone pilot networks bringing hands-on experience and fresh perspectives.
Not sure if this event is for you? Just reach out—we’d love to hear from you!
Want to bring a team of friends or colleagues? Fantastic! Just make sure everyone registers individually, and be ready to connect with new teammates along the way.
Battlefield of Things Experience
The first edition of the event was an absolute blast! Here’s a short video to give you a feel of it:
Battlefield of Things Hackathon: what to expect this year
The event will follow the same formula: a hugely diverse group of smart, dedicated participants, brilliant setting, and an agenda packed with interesting things to do.
There will also be a few important refinements compared to the first edition: this time, the venue will be heated, we promise!
Here’s the preview of the agenda:
Friday May 30, 18:00 to 21:00: workshops, dinner, getting to know everyone
Saturday May 31: challenge briefings, ideation, expert interviews, and hacking time
Sunday June 1: more hacking, more experts, pitch training, final pitches and reception
Spaces are limited – apply now!
Participating in the Battlefield of Things Hackathon is free, but there are only 200 seats available. We will review all applications and select the most relevant participants.
Apply today for a better chance to be selected, and to stay tuned as the event takes shape: you’ll be the first to receive updates on challenge details, speakers, and program highlights.
Knowledge Partners
