National Stakeholder Conference in the University of Stuttgart, Germany

On 12 March 2026, the Institute for Modelling Hydraulic and Environmental Systems (IWS) at the University of Stuttgart hosted an outreach event on the TRANSFER Danube project at Campus Vaihingen, combining an introduction to the project with a practical drone workshop.

The event began with an overview of TRANSFER Danube and the role of IWS within the international project consortium. Participants were introduced to the project’s timeline, structure, motivation, and key objectives, as well as the development of the e-platform and its intended functions for different user and stakeholder groups. The presentation also highlighted IWS contributions to the project, including data collection methods and the use of numerical soil erosion models.

The second part of the event focused on drone-based data collection. In the Drone Copter Workshop, participants learned about EU drone licensing requirements, different types of survey drones and the data they can generate, and practical aspects of preparing and carrying out drone surveys in the field. A discussion session gave participants the opportunity to ask questions and exchange ideas.

The event concluded with a practical demonstration on Campus Vaihingen, where the measurement equipment was presented on site and participants were able to test it themselves.

By combining project presentation with hands-on technical insight, the event offered an accessible introduction to TRANSFER Danube and demonstrated how drone-supported methods contribute to data collection within the project.