From 26–28 May, the Vidzeme Planning Region team participated in the fifth interregional meeting of the Interreg Europe project “PIloting COllaborative ways to BEtter Living LOcally” (PICOBELLO) in Nantes, France. The meeting focused on how the experiences of European regions can be used to improve development planning and create living environments that are more attractive, sustainable, and inclusive for people. Participants also examined good practice examples and discussed the integration of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) principles into regional development policies.

During the visit, project partners explored Nantes’ experience in using design, innovation, and public participation to support urban development, while also sharing examples of initiatives implemented in their own regions. Over the course of three days, participants analysed various approaches demonstrating how citizen engagement, creative thinking, and innovation can contribute to improving living environments and strengthening the well-being of local communities.

To gain practical insights into existing approaches, the programme included several study visits showcasing how design, innovation, and public participation are being applied to enhance the quality of living environments. Participants visited the Nantes Atlantique School of Design, where design thinking is used to address social and urban challenges, as well as a number of public space development projects that promote well-being, strengthen connections between people and their surroundings, and encourage more meaningful use of public spaces. The group also explored examples of industrial heritage regeneration and innovation hubs where academia, public authorities, and businesses successfully collaborate.

One of the most valuable aspects of the visit was the opportunity to learn about Nantes’ approach to using design as a tool for addressing social and community-related challenges. The experience demonstrated that design is not limited to aesthetics or urban beautification; it can also serve as a powerful instrument for public engagement and fostering a sense of belonging. Many of the examples highlighted the role of public spaces in encouraging social interaction, strengthening people’s connection with their environment, and improving everyday experiences. At the same time, the exchange prompted discussions on how similar approaches could be adapted to the context of the Vidzeme region, taking into account local community needs, lifestyles, and cultural characteristics.

One of the key conclusions was that meaningful and lasting territorial development begins not with infrastructure or technology, but with understanding and involving people. Nantes’ experience showed that the most successful solutions emerge when municipalities, businesses, researchers, and residents work together, while design thinking provides a framework for addressing development challenges through the lens of people’s everyday experiences.

During the partner presentations session, participants reviewed several examples of good practice from across Europe, illustrating different approaches to creating sustainable and people-friendly living environments. The Vidzeme Planning Region presented its experience in promoting the principles of the New European Bauhaus in Latvia, emphasising the importance of translating these principles into practical, everyday actions.

Discussions also highlighted the need to make European-level goals and initiatives more understandable and relevant to local communities. In many cases, sustainability, climate action, and New European Bauhaus principles are already being implemented in practice, but they are not always recognised as part of broader development processes. Therefore, it is important to focus communication on the tangible benefits for people and places, rather than solely on policy concepts.

At the conclusion of the visit, project partners participated in the opening discussion of the creativity festival “Chtiiing! Nantes Creativity Days,” where the role of design, innovation, and creative industries in contemporary society was explored. During the project’s working session, partners reviewed progress achieved so far, discussed the next stages of implementation, and agreed on future joint activities.

The next PICOBELLO partner meeting will take place in the Vidzeme region from 29 September to 1 October, providing an opportunity for international partners to explore local experiences and examples of good practice from the region.

About the project

The project “PIloting COllaborative ways to BEtter Living LOcally” (PICOBELLO) is being implemented within the Interreg Europe 2021–2027 interregional cooperation programme. Its objective is to improve regional development policy instruments in the partner regions through a co-creative knowledge exchange process, exploring how European regions integrate the three core values of the New European Bauhaus into their development strategies: sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusion.

More information about the project: https://ej.uz/86jm

This publication has been produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the Vidzeme Planning Region and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

On 25–26 March 2026, partners of the ChemClimCircle‑2 project gathered in Copenhagen for two days of discussions, knowledge exchange, and hands-on work, bringing together municipalities and experts from all countries participating in the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme.

During the meeting, work continued on solutions to make public procurement a driving force for climate‑neutral, circular, and chemically safe (CCC) solutions. Within the project, pilot procurements will be carried out by applying criteria in these three areas and assessing their environmental impact.

Across the partnership, procurements are planned in various sectors – from construction and information and communication technologies (ICT) to textiles, cleaning, and catering services.

Vidzeme Planning Region is working on a pilot procurement case of catering service for the Vidzeme Innovation Week conference. The annual event brings together around 150 participants. By procuring sustainable catering services, organization continues the groundwork laid in its projects related to establishing sustainable food systems, as well as activities aligned with the Bioregion initiative.

To be noted, the upcoming reform of the public procurement system in Latvia means removing mandatory green public procurement criteria, including for food and catering procurement. Instead, sustainability criteria would become voluntary, and the pilot cases of the CCC-2 project can set a point of reference for further procurements.

Partners also received a first insight into the “CCC Navigator” – a practical online tool that will help public authorities integrate climate, circular economy, and chemical safety criteria into procurement. The platform is currently under development and will become one of the project’s final outputs.

The project partners – experts in various sustainability fields – are also developing training activities for procurement specialists to ensure wider application of the CCC approach. These will include both practical guidance and real-life examples from pilot projects.

The next steps in the project include preparing environmental impact assessments of the  upcoming procurement, developing tender evaluation criteria and conducting market pre-study.

On 25 February, the fifth Smart Skies seminar, “Advancing Public Drone Services,” was held at the Jānis Daliņš Stadium Conference Hall in Valmiera as part of Vidzeme Innovation Week.

The event was organised by the Vidzeme Planning Region (VPR) and brought together approximately 33 participants, including representatives of national and local government institutions, industry experts, researchers, and entrepreneurs from Latvia, Finland, and Estonia.

The seminar aimed to showcase existing examples of drone applications in public service delivery and to explore their integration into municipal services, infrastructure management, and security-related solutions. Participants exchanged experiences and discussed the latest developments in drone technologies and their practical implementation.

Smart Skies: from strategy to real-world testing

The seminar opened with a presentation by Krišjānis Pundurs from the Vidzeme Planning Region, who provided an overview of the progress achieved within the Smart Skies project. Key milestones include the development of a five-year strategy for drone service development in both Valmiera Municipality and Tartu, as well as the signing of a contract with SIA Ģeodēzists to carry out drone operations in Valmiera Municipality.

The drone flights are designed to collect spatial data for territorial planning and inspections, including the creation of 3D models and mapping materials. Over an eight-month period, public buildings, drainage systems, and cemetery areas will be surveyed using drones. The pilot activities will evaluate the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and time-saving potential of drone technologies compared with traditional inspection methods. The resulting data will provide a foundation for more informed territorial management and decision-making in municipalities.

Drones in power grid inspections: from manual checks to data-driven management

Diāna Gauče, Head of Network Management Function Development at Sadales tīkls, shared the company’s experience of using drones for electricity network inspections. Sadales tīkls manages an extensive electricity distribution network consisting of more than 93,000 kilometres of power lines and over one million infrastructure elements, which were previously inspected largely through manual processes.

The introduction of drones has enabled the company to significantly accelerate inspections, identify faults at an early stage, analyse vegetation-related risks, and create three-dimensional models of network infrastructure. The collected data supports the development of a digital representation—or digital twin—of the electricity network, enabling more accurate planning of maintenance activities and data-driven decision-making regarding network development and safety.

According to Gauče, drone technology has allowed the company to gradually transition from labour-intensive manual inspections to a hybrid approach that combines field inspections with digital data analysis. This improves operational efficiency, enhances employee safety, reduces costs, and helps prevent power outages before failures occur.

At the same time, she highlighted several ongoing challenges, including weather conditions, lighting, seasonal vegetation changes, public awareness of drone operations, and the need to ensure high-quality data collection and properly trained operators.

Drones in future aviation and research

Kimmo Paajanen, Senior Researcher at Arctic Drone Labs of Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oamk), introduced the work of the university and its digital innovation centre. He explained how collaboration between businesses, researchers, and drone manufacturers supports the development of new drone services, prototype testing, technology validation, and data collection activities.

Paajanen emphasised the extensive testing infrastructure available in northern Finland, which allows unmanned technologies to be tested in diverse environments, including urban areas, rural regions, coastal zones, and remote territories.

The activities of Arctic Drone Labs focus on practical solutions for logistics, public safety and rescue services, agriculture and forestry, and sustainable aviation. Researchers are particularly engaged in advancing autonomy and automation technologies, artificial intelligence applications for data analysis, and drone operations in challenging climatic conditions.

As an illustrative example, Paajanen described northern Finland as the opposite of locations such as Dubai when it comes to technology testing. While warm climates and densely populated environments can provide favourable conditions for introducing new technologies, drone systems in northern Finland must operate reliably in cold temperatures, strong winds, over long distances, and in areas with limited infrastructure. Technologies that prove effective under these demanding “anti-Dubai” conditions can generally be deployed successfully elsewhere in the world.

His presentation also highlighted the importance of close cooperation between academia, industry, and the public sector in accelerating innovation and supporting the safe and sustainable development of unmanned aviation.

European security, and the convergence of civilian and military drone technologies

A broader perspective on the role of drone technologies in national security, economic development, and technological innovation was provided by Artis Pabriks, Executive Director of the military technology, drone, and robotics association MilTech Latvia.

Pabriks noted that Latvia has emerged as one of the region’s most important centres for drone technology development. More than 50 military technology companies currently operate in Latvia, approximately 20 of which specialise in drone development, producing aerial, ground-based, and maritime unmanned systems. Around 15 additional companies focus on components and software development.

He emphasised that many drones developed in Latvia are no longer merely prototypes but operational technologies tested in real-world conditions, including in Ukraine. This demonstrates their technological competitiveness at the international level.

Pabriks also highlighted the broader economic benefits of the drone industry, including export growth, technological innovation, job creation, and increased technological independence. Recent crises—including the COVID-19 pandemic and the current security situation in Europe—have demonstrated the limitations of relying solely on global supply chains for critical goods and technologies.

According to Pabriks, drone technologies offer smaller countries with limited resources, such as Latvia, an opportunity to significantly strengthen their security capabilities. He argued that the distinction between military and civilian drone applications is becoming increasingly blurred. Technologies initially developed for defence purposes are now widely used in infrastructure monitoring, emergency response, border control, logistics, disaster management, and environmental monitoring.

As he noted, the civilian sector is effectively becoming part of the broader security ecosystem: the more people and businesses use drones in everyday activities, the greater society’s overall competence and preparedness in times of crisis.

Drones and Europe’s security future

The seminar concluded with a remote presentation by Reinis Pozņaks, Member of the European Parliament (MEP), who addressed current security challenges in Europe and Latvia. Pozņaks highlighted the growing importance of unmanned systems in modern European security and stressed the need to support the rapidly expanding drone industry through simplified regulatory processes and more flexible financing mechanisms.

As a member of the European Parliament’s Security and Defence Committee, Pozņaks recently authored the report “Drones and New Warfare Systems: The Need for the EU to Adapt to Modern Security Challenges,” which was adopted by a strong majority in Parliament on 22 January.

He emphasised that Russia’s war against Ukraine has clearly demonstrated the strategic importance of drones in modern conflicts and has shown that industrial capacity, logistics, and the timely availability of critical technologies will play a decisive role during future security crises.

At the same time, Pozņaks argued that decision-making processes concerning critical technologies often move too slowly compared with the rapid pace of technological development and evolving security threats. For this reason, both Europe and Latvia must strengthen their technological and manufacturing autonomy by investing in domestic industry and building the capacity to produce strategically important technologies locally.

Key takeaways

The discussions throughout the seminar highlighted several common conclusions. In an increasingly dynamic technological environment, there is a growing need for more flexible technology procurement mechanisms, highly skilled specialists, and stronger cooperation between the public sector, industry, and research institutions.

Participants also emphasised the importance of public preparedness and strengthened civil protection systems, recognising that complete protection against drone-related threats is not possible. Drone technologies are becoming an increasingly important factor in both economic development and security, further connecting civilian and military sectors and making technological independence a strategic priority for both Latvia and Europe.

The project “Joint development of drone-based municipal services” (Smart Skies (EE-LV00141)) is implemented with the financial support of the EU Interreg Estonia-Latvia program for 2021–2027.

This message reflects the author’s opinion. The program’s managing authority is not responsible for the possible use of the information contained therein.

Since autumn 2024, the Vidzeme Planning Region, in cooperation with the Tartu Science Park, has been implementing the cross-border project “Smart Skies – Joint Development of Drone-Based Municipal Services.” Within the project, Valmiera Municipality has been selected as the Latvian pilot territory for exploring the use of drone technologies in infrastructure inspections and territorial management.

The solutions being tested aim to evaluate the effectiveness of drone technologies and assess how they can improve access to hard-to-reach locations, reduce the time and resources required for inspections, and provide detailed, high-quality real-time data to support municipal operations.

The project has now reached an important milestone with the development and approval of a joint Strategy and Action Plan, outlining the future directions for the use of drone technologies in the delivery of public services. The strategy aims to promote the safe, efficient, and data-driven use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in municipal operations, building on practical testing and experience gained throughout the project.

In September 2025, the procurement procedure “Testing the Application of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Acquisition of Spatial Data for the Needs of Valmiera Municipality” was completed, leading to the start of cooperation with SIA Ģeodēzists. Preparatory activities for the drone operations began in autumn 2025.

During the preparation phase, a comprehensive flight and data-processing plan was developed, accompanied by a risk assessment, risk mitigation measures, and an emergency response plan. These activities ensure that drone operations are conducted safely, responsibly, and in compliance with regulatory requirements while also taking public safety and data protection considerations into account.

Drone test flights are currently being carried out across Valmiera Municipality. Their objective is to collect various types of spatial data through the inspection of more than 30 infrastructure sites. Activities include assessing the technical condition of buildings and structures, creating detailed 3D models, and producing orthophoto maps.

The primary goal of the pilot activities is to understand how unmanned aerial vehicles can improve the efficiency of municipal operations and support better-informed decision-making. The data collected will enable more accurate analysis of territorial development, infrastructure conditions, and environmental factors while reducing the time and resources required compared to traditional inspection methods.

In the long term, the use of drone technologies could provide significant benefits for both the municipality and its residents. These include more accurate and timely information for territorial planning, more effective monitoring of infrastructure and construction projects, and the development of data-driven, transparent, and sustainable public services.

The drone pilot activities in Valmiera represent an important step towards innovative and modern municipal governance. At the same time, they strengthen cross-border cooperation within the Smart Skies project and lay the foundation for the wider adoption of drone technologies in municipal service delivery in the future.

The project “Joint development of drone-based municipal services” (Smart Skies (EE-LV00141)) is implemented with the financial support of the EU Interreg Estonia-Latvia program for 2021–2027.

This message reflects the author’s opinion. The program’s managing authority is not responsible for the possible use of the information contained therein.