A Memorandum of Cooperation for financing the construction of a new Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) will be signed today (14:00) between the Hellenic Defence Industry, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the Democritus University of Thrace, the University of Thessaly and the University of Patras. The said Memorandum concerns the design and industrial production of a new UAV and will be signed during an event held at the Ministry of Finance. 

The signing ceremony will be attended by the Minister of Finance, Christos Staikouras, the Minister of National Defence, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, Hellenic Defence Industry officials, and the Rectors of the four Universities.

According to the relevant announcement, being the main shareholder of the Hellenic Defence Industry and wishing to contribute to the development of domestic know-how in innovative sectors, the Ministry of Finance decided to support and finance another important program in order to strengthen the competitiveness of the company and the country as a whole. This program is expected to have multiple benefits for the involved bodies, the scientific community, the Greek economy, and the country as a whole.

The Ministry of Finance proceeded to finance the design of a second, more complex UAV, utilizing the consistent course of work and know-how gained from the “Archytas” program for the research, development, and industrial production of the first Autonomous Multi-Purpose Aerial Vehicle by entities of the wider public sector.

Also read: Chr. Staikouras | Progress in HAI’s UAV program