Development of innovative tools, processes, equipment and technologies through responses to disasters and emergencies for search and rescue in hazardo...

The Horizon Europe call identified as HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-03 is a funding opportunity within the Civil Security for Society program, focusing on the development of innovative tools, processes, equipment, and technologies aimed at enhancing disaster and emergency response capabilities for search and rescue in hazardous conditions. This call is designed as a Horizon Innovation Action utilizing a lump sum grant mechanism, with a total funding of €8 million allocated for this area, expecting to fund around two projects with approximately €4 million available per project.

The application process opens on May 6, 2026, and will close on November 5, 2026, utilizing a single-stage submission method. Proposals must include a consortium of at least two practitioner organizations (first responders) and two medical emergency authorities from at least three different EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Eligible applicants can include public and private entities such as research institutions, universities, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large corporations, and non-profit organizations. However, organizations directly or indirectly controlled by entities from China are barred from participation.

The funding focuses on several critical sectors within civil security, notably disaster resilience and emergency response. It encourages the development of technologies that address complex challenges in extreme environments, including but not limited to wildfires, earthquakes, and large-scale medical emergencies. Specifically, the call seeks advancements in autonomous systems, robotics, smart protective equipment, command-and-control systems, and interoperability solutions across emergency response platforms.

Successful proposals will demonstrate a strong alignment with existing EU-level capacities, resilience strategies, and will be expected to tackle ethical, legal, and social implications of technological innovations in emergency contexts. Importance is placed on practical deployment and validation through real-world simulations. The call encourages collaboration among different fields to ensure effective market uptake of the technologies developed.

In terms of application requirements, there are specific conditions detailing admissibility, evaluation criteria, and compliance with the overarching Horizon Europe regulations. Funding is provided via lump sums, simplifying financial management for the beneficiaries, while necessitating clear planning and budget management during proposal development. The program is expected to be highly competitive, aiming for high-quality applications that combine innovative technological solutions with practical, real-world emergency response needs.

In conclusion, this opportunity is a call for collaborative, innovative, and practical projects that enhance Europe's disaster response capabilities through technology, ensuring a safer and more effective approach to emergency situations.

This is a Horizon Europe call for proposals under the Civil Security for Society program, specifically focusing on the development of innovative tools, processes, equipment, and technologies to enhance disaster and emergency response capabilities for search and rescue in hazardous conditions. The call, titled HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-03, is a Horizon Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) and utilizes a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] funding mechanism. The deadline for submission is November 5, 2026, with a planned opening date of May 6, 2026.

The expected outcomes of this call include:

Creation of cutting-edge tools, processes, equipment, and technologies to enhance disaster and emergency response capabilities for various practitioners as well as for assets, such as vehicles, aircraft, and heavy equipment.
Development of autonomous drones, robotics, and other technologies specifically designed for emergency medical response and search and rescue operations in hazardous conditions such as wildfires, earthquakes, and large-scale events, taking into consideration existing technologies.
Improvement of response efficiency and safety for survivors and emergency practitioners through the adoption of advanced, technology-driven solutions in disaster scenarios.
Consideration of the needs of existing EU-level capacities, emergency reserves, and stockpiling in the deployment of assets and being able to move them.

The scope of the call emphasizes the development of innovative solutions for emergency responders in complex and hazardous environments. It encourages leveraging advancements in:

Smart protective equipment
Robotics
Autonomous systems
Remote sensing
Communication technologies
Human sensor technologies

The aim is to improve the efficiency, safety, and effectiveness of emergency medical response and search and rescue operations in high-risk scenarios like wildfires, earthquakes, and large-scale trauma events.

Proposals should focus on:

Design, testing, and validation of innovative solutions for critical tasks in disaster areas.
Technologies tailored for extreme conditions (high temperatures, unstable terrains, low visibility).
Solutions that are beneficial to all individuals regardless of their age, gender or ability.
Addressing challenges in autonomous navigation, AI-driven decision-making, real-time situational awareness, and integration with existing command-and-control systems.
Supporting collaboration among different practitioners to support proper market uptake.
Enhancing interoperability and data-sharing between platforms, emergency response teams, and crisis management systems.
Practical deployment and validation through field exercises and simulations.
User-driven design approaches, prioritizing inclusivity and accessibility.
Developing a command-and-control solution for swift, coordinated, and effective disaster response with a clear plan for uptake after the project.
Conducting stakeholder/market analysis and creating a roadmap for uptake by industry, research community, and relevant authorities.
Considering the current response capacities of the European Civil Protection Pool, its capacity gaps, the rescEU strategic reserve, and the EU Stockpiling Strategy.
Considering innovation for heavier assets, such as flood containment and high-capacity pumping, transport or response aircraft, shelters and power generators, ground firefighting vehicles and aerial firefighting helicopters.
Addressing ethical, legal, and social implications of autonomous technologies in emergency response, including data privacy, cybersecurity, human- and animal life protection, public acceptance, and regulatory compliance.
Contributing to strengthening Europe’s disaster response capacity and aligning with EU policies and international best practices, such as the Preparedness Union Strategy.
Finding synergies with projects from operational grants, such as the Knowledge for Action in Prevention & Preparedness (KAPP).

The general conditions for this call include:

Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form.
Eligible Countries: As described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Other Eligible Conditions: Restrictions on control by Chinese entities, protection of European communication networks, and exceptional eligibility for relevant international organizations.
Additional Eligibility Criteria: Active involvement of at least 2 practitioner organizations (first responders) and 2 medical emergency authorities from at least 3 different EU Member States or Associated Countries. Applicants must fill in the table “Information about security practitioners” in the application form.
Use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS for projects using satellite-based data and services.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion as described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Submission and evaluation processes as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Legal and financial set-up of the grants: The granting authority may object to a transfer of ownership or exclusive licensing of results for up to 4 years after the action's end. Eligible costs will be in the form of a lump sum.

Specific conditions include:

Application form templates available in the Submission System.
Standard application forms for HE RIA, IA, CSA, RI, PCP, PPI, COFUND, FPA, MSCA PF, MSCA DN, MSCA SE, MSCA COFUND, MSCA COFUND CE, ERC STG, ERC COG, ERC ADG, ERC POC, ERC SYG, EIC PATHFINDER CHALLENGES, EIC PATHFINDER OPEN, EIC TRANSITION, EIC STEP, EIC Accelerator stage 2, and EIC Accelerator stage 1.
Standard evaluation forms for HE RIA/IA, CSA, PCP/PPI, COFUND, FPA, MSCA, EIC PATHFINDER CHALLENGES, EIC PATHFINDER OPEN, EIC TRANSITION, EIC Accelerator stage 1, and EIC Accelerator stage 2.
Guidance documents such as the HE Programme Guide, Model Grant Agreements (MGA), and call-specific instructions.
Additional documents including the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027, EIC Work Programme 2026, ERC Work Programme 2026, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget overview for the Civil Security for Society 2026 call includes various topics with different action types, budgets, and indicative numbers of grants. The HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-03 topic has a budget of 8,000,000 EUR and aims to award around 2 grants. The opening date is planned for May 6, 2026, and the deadline for submission is November 5, 2026.

This funding opportunity seeks to bolster Europe's ability to respond to disasters by fostering the development and implementation of cutting-edge technologies. It calls for collaborative projects that bring together researchers, innovators, and emergency response practitioners to create solutions that are not only technologically advanced but also ethically sound, legally compliant, and socially acceptable. The focus is on enhancing the safety and efficiency of emergency operations through the use of robotics, autonomous systems, and other advanced tools, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and prepared European society. The emphasis on collaboration, ethical considerations, and practical deployment ensures that the developed solutions are both innovative and relevant to the real-world challenges faced by emergency responders.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly listed in the provided text. However, based on the nature of Horizon Europe calls and the requirement for practitioner organizations and medical emergency authorities, it can be inferred that eligible applicants could include: research institutes, universities, SMEs, large enterprises, NGOs, international organizations, and other relevant entities. The text mentions that relevant international organisations with headquarters in a Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country are exceptionally eligible for funding. The additional eligibility criteria specify the need for active involvement of practitioner organisations (first responders) and medical emergency authorities.

Funding Type: The funding type is primarily grant-based, specifically HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA), HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA), HORIZON Pre-commercial Procurement (HORIZON-PCP) and HORIZON Public Procurement of Innovative Solutions (HORIZON-PPI). The Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a consortium. The text explicitly states: "This topic requires the active involvement, as beneficiaries, of at least 2 practitioner organisations (first responders) and 2 medical emergency authorities from at least 3 different EU Member States or Associated Countries."

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Target Sector: The program targets the civil security sector, specifically focusing on disaster and emergency response, search and rescue operations, robotics, autonomous systems, remote sensing, communication, human sensor technologies, AI-driven decision-making, cybersecurity, and smart protective equipment.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. It also refers to non-EU/non-Associated Countries that have made specific provisions for funding participants in Horizon Europe projects. China is mentioned as an entity whose control over an applicant may render them ineligible.

Project Stage: The project stage encompasses research, development, testing, validation, and deployment, leaning towards innovation actions. The call aims to develop, test, and validate innovative solutions, suggesting a focus on projects that are in the development, validation, and demonstration phases.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from €1,330,000 for Coordination and Support Actions to €12,000,000 for Innovation Actions. The indicative number of grants and the budget per topic provide a clearer picture of the funding distribution.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of lump sum grants.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants per topic provides some insight into the potential success rate, which would depend on the number of applications received.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. However, Horizon Europe actions often involve co-funding, so it is possible that some level of co-funding may be expected.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call focuses on Civil Security for Society in 2026, aiming to enhance disaster and emergency response capabilities through innovative tools, equipment, and technologies. The call encourages projects that leverage advancements in robotics, autonomous systems, remote sensing, and other technologies to improve the efficiency and safety of emergency responders and search and rescue operations in hazardous environments. Eligible applicants include research institutes, universities, SMEs, large enterprises, and other relevant entities from EU Member States and Associated Countries. The funding is provided through lump sum grants, and projects are expected to involve a consortium of partners, including practitioner organizations and medical emergency authorities. The call emphasizes the importance of ethical considerations, interoperability, and alignment with EU policies and strategies. The application process is a single-stage open call, and the funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call.