UCAM, in collaboration with Fundación Integra Digital and Telefónica Cátedras, hosted the 2nd Drone & Robotics Summit, a technology conference that allowed students, researchers, and professionals to learn about the latest advances in robotics, artificial intelligence, and drones. The event, held at the Los Jerónimos Campus, featured presentations, live demonstrations and a wide range of institutional and business representatives, consolidating its position as a benchmark in the dissemination of emerging technologies.

The cloister of the Monastery of Los Jerónimos hosted the main event, attended by María Dolores García, UCAM president, and Luis Alberto Marín, Regional Minister of Economy, Finance, European Funds and Digital Transformation of the Region of Murcia, who watched a live demonstration of the use of robots and drones in real-life contexts.

‘We want our students to be prepared to face a competitive market, mastering the most advanced technologies, but always from an ethical and humanistic perspective, with a vocation for service and the promotion of peace,’ highlighted María Dolores García. She underlined UCAM’s commitment to providing its students with a comprehensive education.

Meanwhile, Luis Alberto Marín highlighted the role of these technologies in public administration and citizen security, referring to the incorporation of drones into local police forces as part of the Región de Murcia Más Segura (Safer Region of Murcia) strategy. ‘These tools serve citizens and help streamline and improve processes for the benefit of society as a whole. UCAM now offers its students a real showcase to test their applicability,’ said the Regional Minister.

The meeting was attended by leading professionals in the sector, such as Antonio Balanza (Odyn AI), Darío Samaniego (Unitree Robotics Spain) and Joaquín M. Polo (DJI Agriculture Spain), who shared real-life cases of technology implementation and advances in embedded artificial intelligence.

From the business world, José Luis Lanzarote, Head of Sales for Public Administrations at Telefónica in the Region of Murcia, highlighted the role of UCAM as ‘a strategic partner with whom we have been working for years on key projects such as the Chair in Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Digital Age. The event today shows the enormous potential of collaboration between universities and businesses to drive technological transformation. In this context, Telefónica has deployed advanced infrastructure that enables the coordinated and safe operation of the drones and robotic devices participating in the event.

On the academic side, Rafael Melendreras, UCAM Vice Dean of the Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering in Telecommunications Systems, expressed the enthusiasm generated among students: ‘The companies that have come have shown us the latest in robotics and drones, and this gives us many ideas for developing joint projects and new lines of research.’ Melendreras also pointed out that the University already works with drones in the teaching of several subjects, which constitutes a differential value in the training of students.

Pau Guardiola, UCAM Director of Emerging Technologies, explained that this event aims to ‘bring these tools closer to both students and teachers, integrating them into the educational process in all degree programs, from medicine to nursing to engineering.’ He also recalled that the University has recently acquired a quadrupedal robot, Ucamito, and a complete fleet of drones for teaching and research activities.

The conference also featured presentations by Manuel Pardo, UCAM Professor and Principal Investigator of the New Technologies in Health Research Group, who addressed the impact of robotics and artificial intelligence on improving healthcare, especially in complex clinical settings. Additionally, Luis García, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of Rollyy Autonomous Charging Robots, presented advances in autonomous solutions for recharging vehicles and devices, highlighting their applicability in smart urban environments. Likewise, Daniel José Aragón, Head of the Municipal Service for Civil Protection and Emergencies, explained how drones are revolutionizing surveillance and emergency response operations, providing greater precision, safety, and efficiency in critical situations.

The 2nd Drone & Robotics Summit has shown the commitment of UCAM to an education connected to the real demands of the market, promoting university-business collaboration and committing to an applied, ethical, and multidisciplinary approach to technology.