18 Teams Test Counter-Drone Tech as Winners Revealed at Nokia Arena Hackathon
Eighteen teams from six countries tested counter-drone concepts and indoor drone operations at a recent hackathon held at Nokia Arena, where winners were announced.
The Drone Innovation at 5G Counter-Drone Arena staged several themed challenges in partnership with industry players. The Future of Nokia Arena challenge, organised with Unikie and Business Tampere, was won by Team Aalto & SATA – SäRes Analysing and Testing Area – SäRes Center. Drone Valley & Beyond VLOS took the top prize in the 4G/5G-Driven Drone Innovation Challenge held with Elisa.
Elisa and Loopshore backed the Low-Signature Drone Design Challenge, where Skyward Sentinel came first. Skyward Sentinel also featured among the winners in the Invisible Intruder category, led by Crown Defence Ltd and supported by Missing-Link Oy; other winners in that category included Janne Rajala and Joonas Vesterinen. The competitions encouraged cross-disciplinary collaboration among industry companies, hobbyists, cybersecurity experts and researchers.
Eighteen teams from six countries used the event to test capabilities, develop business ideas and forge industry contacts. Nokia Arena doubled as a live indoor testing environment, giving organisers a chance to evaluate the venue's suitability for drone trials.
Notable attendees included Member of Parliament Jarno Limnell — a leading figure behind Finland's national drone strategy and a working-life professor of cybersecurity at Aalto University — and Mykhailo Vydoinyk, Ambassador of Ukraine to Finland. Organisers hope the event will accelerate commercial and security applications for drones in urban settings.
Catch the full story over at Business Tampere
