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Coverage of Fly4Future in press, media and scientific publications.

2026

Press release · Jul 20, 2026

Press release - Developing an autonomous system to rescue fawns during the hay harvest

Fly4Future, a Czech autonomous aerial robot manufacturer, and researchers from the University of South Bohemia are developing an autonomous aerial system that could significantly streamline the rescue of fawns before the hay harvest. The project’s goal is not to develop just another pilot-operated drone, but an intelligent system capable of autonomously monitoring large areas, detecting wildlife, and making decisions without human intervention. The project is supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic.

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2025

Article at europeannewsroom.com · Sep 15, 2025

The European Commission praised the Czech system that safely captures unauthorized drones

The Czech robotic system Eagle.one, created together with CTU Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Fly4Future and Eagle.One, has received recognition in the European Commission’s State of the Union report. With the use of artificial intelligence, the system is able to capture unauthorized drones in restricted airspace without destroying them. Acknowledged as an example of innovation with international reach, Eagle.one – also called the “drone hunter” – addresses security needs from airports and prisons to border crossings and critical infrastructure. Its mention on the European stage highlights the growing role of Czech technology in ensuring Europe’s safety.

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Article at fel.cvut.cz · Sep 15, 2025

European Commission recognized Czech “drone hunter” Eagle.one

The Czech robotic system Eagle.one, developed in collaboration with CTU Faculty of Electrical Engineering and companies Fly4Future and Eagle.One, has been highlighted in the European Commission’s State of the Union report. Using artificial intelligence, Eagle.one can safely intercept unauthorized drones in protected airspace without causing their destruction. The project was presented as an example of cutting-edge innovation with global impact. Demand for the system – known as the “drone hunter” – ranges from airports and prisons to border crossings and operators of critical infrastructure. Its recognition at the European level underlines the importance of Czech research and technology for Europe’s security.

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Article at cez.cz · Jul 7, 2025

Autonomous drones being tested at Temelín

At the Temelín nuclear power plant, power engineers are testing the use of autonomous drones for inspecting technologies in hard-to-reach areas. In this case, the drone can independently orient itself and assess the condition of the equipment without “human” operator and satellite navigation support. Experts from VZÚ Plzeň and Fly4Future tested the autonomous drone in one of the auxiliary plants, specifically in the Cooling Water Treatment Plant.

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Article at fel.cvut.cz (CTU-FEE News) · Apr 13, 2025

The Czech team from FEL CTU in the finals of the “Champions League” of autonomous drones in Abu Dhabi broke into the absolute world top

The team of the Multirobotic Systems Group (MRS) from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the Czech Technical University in Prague and Fly4Future achieved extraordinary success in the prestigious Autonomous Racing League (A2RL), a global competition for autonomous drones, held on 11 and 12 April 2025 in Abu Dhabi. In a competition of 210 teams from all over the world, the Czech team managed to fight its way through successive qualifiers to the last four teams in all four disciplines, and in the final achieved a bronze medal in the prestigious drag race discipline, which aims to achieve the maximum speed of autonomous flight.

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Article at seznamzpravy.cz · Mar 15, 2025

Czechs among the world’s best. They will compete for a million dollars

Czech engineers and their startup, who are the best in the world, entered the prestigious autonomous helicopter competition for the first time. The motive is not only money, but also help to firefighters and paramedics. This year’s final, where 14 teams will compete, took place on April 11 and 12. And out of 210 teams from all over the world, a team of scientists from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (FEL) of CTU and the startup Fly4Future, which they founded at the school seven years ago for the development of drones, also made their way into it.

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Article at dnoviny.cz · Mar 15, 2025

CTU students practice flying drones in the future Panattoni Business Park Kladno II

An old industrial hall intended for demolition on a brownfield in the area of ​​the former Poldi Kladno serves as a unique test laboratory for the extreme flight conditions of autonomous drones. The Czech team from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering CTU and the Fly4Future group are training here for the prestigious Autonomous Champions League race in Abu Dhabi.

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Article at fel.cvut.cz (CTU-FEE News) · Mar 12, 2025

The team of FEE CTU and Fly4Future will fight for the title in the “Champions League” of autonomous drones in Abu Dhabi

The team of the Multi-robot Systems Group (MRS) from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the Czech Technical University in Prague and Fly4Future successfully qualified for the prestigious Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) finals in Abu Dhabi. The technologically advanced autonomous drone race, organized by ASPIRE and the Drone Champions League, is one of the world’s largest competitions of its kind: its winners will share a total prize of US$1 million.

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Article at wired.cz · Feb 13, 2025

It looks like a drone, but it’s not a drone. Czech robots fly in Canada and South America. Also because they think for themselves

Article about Fly4Future and advanced robotics developed in the Czech Republic, particularly focusing on robots that resemble drones but are not actually drones. These robots, originating from research at the Czech Technical University, are designed with autonomous thinking capabilities. They are already operating in Canada and South America, marking a successful transition from academic research into practical applications. The technology exemplifies a rare case in the Czech Republic where university research is successfully applied to real-world business scenarios.

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Article at peopleinneed.net · Jan 9, 2025

Czech drones against the wildfires in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Czech drones will help to fight the wildfires in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Czech company Fly4Future conducted a training for local emergency services on how to make use of the drones during natural disasters, such as fires, which have previously occurred in the region.

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2024

Article at hn.cz · Oct 23, 2024

Clients are fighting over drone hunters from CTU. The academic team has global ambitions, after Asia it is targeting the USA.

Translating academic work into business is uncommon, but Martin Saska’s team at CTU’s Faculty of Electrical Engineering is excelling. They developed a drone that quickly and safely captures hostile drones, primarily for airport, prison, and power plant defense. Collaborating with Eagle. one and CTU spinout Fly4Future, this “drone hunter” is now used by over a dozen clients. The latest model reaches speeds of up to 100 km/h and uses AI for autonomous navigation, catching intruders in a net rather than shooting them down—safer if explosives are involved. Though improvements in drone cooperation are needed, the team offers full support to clients who test the technology in real-world scenarios. The base price starts at CZK 2. 5 million. Most demand comes from Asia and the UAE’s airports, prisons, and border crossings. Plans for expansion into the US market were discussed during Saska’s September visit with President Petr Pavel; potential investments include establishing a Fly4Future branch in America or the UAE. While military applications exist for their “drone catcher,” Saska’s focus remains on civilian use. Through Fly4Future, they commercialize various innovations like firefighting drones developed after partnering with companies seeking solutions for high-rise fires. In September, they won the SPRIND Funke Fully Autonomous Flight competition against eight international teams at Germany’s Erding Air Base by developing a fully autonomous drone capable of navigating without GPS to retrieve objects under challenging conditions.

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Article at hn.cz · Nov 29, 2024

AI Awards 2024 know the winners. They go to disinformation warriors, flying robots and a digital army recruiter

The prestigious AI Awards, which highlight the most outstanding achievements in the field of artificial intelligence, were presented on 21 November, at the Vzlet in Vršovice. The only professional AI awards in the Czech Republic go to individuals, companies and organizations that have made a significant contribution to the development and use of this technology in the past year. In the AI in Business category, Fly4Future won for building a unique know-how in the field of flying robots with on-board artificial intelligence. The company has completed the development of two world-unique flying robots (UAVs) and successfully launched them on the global market.

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Article at novinky.cz · Oct 10, 2024

Czechs invent a machine that “hunts” enemy drones.

The Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague, along with Fly4Future and Eagle.One, has developed a drone to protect stadiums, critical infrastructure, and officials from airborne threats. This AI-driven drone can autonomously capture harmful drones. In a recent demonstration on Císařský ostrov in Prague, it successfully intercepted an intruder drone within a minute without human intervention. An operator uses an industrial camera to confirm the target before approving capture. Weighing 20 kilograms with over one-meter-long arms and eight propellers, the Czech Eagle.One flies over 100 km/h and can capture targets moving at speeds up to 70 km/h. It hunts drones weighing up to 20 kg at altitudes of several kilometers for up to 40 minutes, typically catching intruders within ten minutes. Unlike competitors that focus on stationary drones, this model captures moving targets using its advanced lidar system for obstacle detection. The drone features a powerful computer for automatic control and navigation. The net for capturing targets deploys mid-flight; if unsuccessful initially, it allows multiple attempts without losing control or needing a new net immediately. This system can counter hostile drones in protected spaces like airports and prisons while appealing to both organizations seeking tailored solutions and private individuals wanting privacy protection. Potential customers include stadiums and defense facilities since drones are often misused for smuggling or spying but are not primarily aimed at warfare. Researchers at CTU are exploring how multiple drones could coordinate using artificial intelligence for collective target capture.

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Article at ceskenoviny.cz · Oct 9, 2024

CTU introduced a robotic drone hunter protecting critical infrastructure.

The Eagle.One robotic system, developed by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the Czech Technical University (CTU) in collaboration with Eagle.One and Fly4Future, can intercept hostile drones mid-air and safely land them. This AI-enhanced system aims to protect critical infrastructure such as airports, power plants, and prisons. Martin Saska, head of the development team, stated that Eagle. One features improved spatial perception and acceleration, enabling it to capture agile drones flying up to 100 km/h along unpredictable trajectories using an advanced sensor system. The AI allows for optimal trajectory planning without human input and can evaluate data from extensive simulations. It captures enemy drones using a net without risk of explosion—ideal for those carrying explosives—and supports unlimited captures of drones weighing up to 20 kg at several kilometers high. Eagle.One is immediately deployable from a mobile hangar with technology that detects suspicious objects, activating the drone within seconds. Interest in this system is global; current orders are expected to be fulfilled next year. Further development was discussed during Saska’s recent visit to the U.S. as part of a delegation led by Czech President Petr Pavel.

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Article at sprind.org · Sep 9, 2024

PIONEERS OF THE SKY SPRIND FUNKE Winners Lead the Way on Fully Autonomous Flight

The track presented a mix of environments—urban areas, open fields, and forests—testing the drones’ real-time spatial awareness, complex 3D mapping, and precision control. Additionally, the drones had to deal with various disruptive factors such as smoke, fog and rain. 27 waypoints guided the drones through their journey – at the last one, they needed to identify and pick up a package. An audience of industry experts and potential investors closely observed the final demonstrations on 19th September and had the chance to visit the teams while they were preparing for the course. After four intense days including the final competition day, the expert jury—comprised of industry leaders and academics—selected three winning teams based on their performance, technological innovations, and potential for real-world applications. The standout winner was Fly4Future, a team spun off from the Technical University of Prague.

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2023

Article at fel.cvut.cz (CTU-FEE News) · Sep 9, 2023

Robotic dogs and drones as part of a security camera system? Axis and FEE CTU showed a glimpse into the future.

Security experts, Axis Communications and the Department of Cybernetics at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of CTU unveiled a groundbreaking integration of autonomous drones from Fly4future and Boston Dynamics’ Spot robotic dogs into an IP camera system. This innovative collaboration showcased a potential future direction in security technology, suggesting the use of autonomous patrolling drones and robotic dogs to protect objects. The Axis Demoshow was attended by around a hundred security managers and experts from major Czech companies and institutions. The highlight was the installation of an intelligent security camera system in Fly4Future drones and Spot robotic dogs, signaling that robotic drones are edging closer to actual deployment. Notably, the integration of AXIS cameras into Fly4Future drones revealed the compatibility with the opensource robotic operating system ROS, emphasizing the importance of seamless integration with video management software for effective drone deployments. The ability of Fly4Future drones to operate autonomously or in swarms, coupled with advanced video analytics software, offers a practical and efficient solution for enhancing security measures. This forward-thinking approach showcased at the Axis Demoshow demonstrates that the concept of utilizing autonomous drones and robotic dogs for security applications is not merely science fiction but a tangible reality that could transform security operations today.

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Article at businessinfo.cz · Apr 26, 2023

The drone will help foresters. With a special camera, it detects bark beetles at an early stage of tree infestation.

The innovative drone technology developed by Tereza Uhrová, a master’s student in the Cybernetics and Robotics programme, in the Multirobotic Systems group, in collaboration with Eurosecur and Fly4Future, is transforming forest management by detecting bark beetle infestations at an early stage. Through the use of specialized cameras and autonomous drones, the system can identify stressed trees, a common early sign of bark beetle infestation, with precision and efficiency. By combining cutting-edge technology with on-board intelligence, the drones can navigate through forests without relying on GPS, making them ideal for pinpointing infested trees quickly and accurately. This groundbreaking method not only streamlines the detection process but also enables foresters to take prompt action in treating or removing affected trees, ultimately safeguarding forest health and sustainability.

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Press release · Jan 5, 2023

Article at plzen.eu (Pilsen City Official Information Portal)

Pilsen dronemakers are testing a new extinguishing drone, it should help firefighters in confined spaces. Pilsen’s forward-thinking drone operators are at the forefront of testing a groundbreaking firefighting drone designed to assist firefighters in tackling localized fire outbreaks within confined spaces. Engineered by experts from the Czech Technical University and Fly4Future, the SIT Drones developed by the Information Technology Administration of the City of Pilsen are set to revolutionize firefighting operations in the Czech Republic. Equipped with a thermal camera for fire detection and specialized extinguishing cartridges, this innovative drone is a testament to Pilsen’s commitment to cutting-edge technology and proactive collaboration with the integrated rescue system.

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