Tor Vergata University Triumphs at the 2025 Leonardo Drone Contest

The sixth edition of the Leonardo Drone Contest, held on 1–2 October 2025 as part of Italian Tech Week, saw Tor Vergata University emerge as the overall winner. The team was awarded on stage for their outstanding performance, with Politecnico di Milano securing second place and the University of Naples Federico II finishing third.

This year, over 50 university students from seven Italian institutions competed in the event, which has become a cornerstone of Open Innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and unmanned systems. Now in its sixth year, the contest offers a practical platform for students to test cutting-edge technologies and showcase innovative solutions in real-world scenarios.

Participants were challenged to develop autonomous robotic platforms—including both Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs)—capable of navigating unfamiliar environments without relying on GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) signals. These systems were also required to provide real-time data and mapping to a ground control station. At the core of the contest was the creation of advanced localisation, navigation, and human-machine collaboration solutions, powered by AI algorithms that process data instantaneously.

This year’s edition particularly emphasised the strategic importance of cooperation between heterogeneous systems. Teams were tasked with planning and executing coordinated missions that integrated UAVs and UGVs, highlighting the potential of multi-domain AI solutions to operate effectively even without satellite support. Such capabilities are critical for applications like post-disaster inspections, surveys in hazardous or inaccessible areas, and emergency operations that demand speed, accuracy, and safety.

Since its inception, the Leonardo Drone Contest has aimed to foster an “ecosystem” of innovation by bringing together universities, large enterprises, small and medium-sized businesses, national spin-offs, and start-ups. Participating universities this year included Tor Vergata University, Politecnico di Torino, Politecnico di Milano, Politecnico di Bari, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, and the University of Naples Federico II.

Beyond promoting academic research, the contest plays a key role in nurturing young talent and disseminating the skills needed to tackle the technological challenges of the future, particularly in the rapidly evolving fields of AI and autonomous systems. The initiative nurtures young talent and promotes the spread of key skills needed to address the technological challenges of the future.