Europe’s Largest Ports and Innovation Ecosystems Launch DroneHorizon 2025

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — On 4 September 2025, Rotterdam becomes the focal point for Europe’s autonomous and unmanned future with the launch of DroneHorizon 2025: Accelerating Autonomous and Unmanned Systems in Europe’s Critical Domains. This high-level summit is dedicated to advancing strategic and digital autonomy, resilience, and cross-border innovation in ports and critical infrastructure. This inaugural event is brought to life by a powerhouse alliance: DronePort Rotterdam, Port of Rotterdam, The Beacon and Port of Antwerp-Bruges, and Hamburg Port Authority.

Meeting Europe’s Moment: Why DroneHorizon Now

Europe faces unprecedented geopolitical shifts, accelerating technological disruption, and rising security challenges across its critical domains. In this context, DroneHorizon 2025 serves as a strategic platform where strategic and digital autonomy and resilience are realised not only in policy but in practice. The summit unites decision-makers from industry, government, defence, and technology, transforming Europe’s largest ports and its ecosystems into trusted gateways for innovation and cooperation.

Strategy Into Action: A New Model for Europe

Held at Maassilo Rotterdam, DroneHorizon 2025 launches a three-year cross-border collaboration between the three leading European ports: Rotterdam, Antwerp-Bruges, and Hamburg. The summit’s B2B and B2G program is designed for strategic dialogue, operational matchmaking, and ecosystem alignment, enabling participants to collectively shape the future of autonomy, connectivity, and security in Europe’s most vital sectors.

From Dialogue to Demonstration: Showcasing Impact

Turning vision into reality, DroneHorizon partners will demonstrate advanced solutions and real-world use cases at the Innovation Dock on 5 September, as part of Rotterdam’s World Port Days (5–7 September). This 2,000 m² expo, at the heart of one of Europe’s largest maritime events, connects emerging technologies and talent with professional and public visitors.

A Program Built on Four Strategic Themes

• Industry: Creating operational value with autonomous and unmanned systems: from AI-powered logistics to predictive maintenance for vital infrastructure.

• Public Safety: Advancing emergency response, crisis management, and civil protection through real-time, autonomous platforms.

• Defence: Strengthening both civil and military resilience through dual-use innovation, scenario-driven collaboration, and governance.

• Governing the Future of Autonomy: Enabling responsible, scalable adoption through policy, digital infrastructure, and public-private partnerships.

A European Platform for Collective Resilience

DroneHorizon is more than an event – it is the launchpad for Europe’s operational and digital resilience, ensuring that critical domains remain competitive, secure, and future-proof. This multi-year platform will continue at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges (2026) and the Port of Hamburg (2027), reinforcing the shared ambition to position Europe as a global leader in autonomous and unmanned systems.

A Call to Partners

DroneHorizon 2025 welcomes industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers ready to drive the next wave of European innovation. For tickets, programme details, and partnership opportunities, visit: www.dronehorizon.org.

About DroneHorizon

DroneHorizon is an international B2B summit dedicated to advancing autonomous and unmanned systems (AUS) in critical domains. Organised by DronePort Rotterdam, the Port of Rotterdam, The Beacon and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, and Hamburg Port Authority, DroneHorizon brings together industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to discuss challenges, opportunities, share knowledge, and forge strategic partnerships.

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