Research projects, Contests / awards

The core question of IRIS is security-related: How can autonomous robotic swarms function properly and reliably if communications channels fail, localisation channels break down or are targeted by malicious actors? This question is of fundamental importance for their application in crisis situations and disaster relief.

IRIS is the spiritual successor of the idea contest HAL2025 “Autonome intelligente Systeme im Schwarm” (autonomous intelligent systems in swarms). The winning ideas were translated into a concrete application-oriented research program. „Conceptional approaches and ideas are to be transformed into actual research which combines academic originality with security relevant efficacy”, emphasises Dr. Eva-Maria Heinke, head of unmanned systems and robotics.

Heterogenous robotic swarms will provide reconnaissance, protection, logistics and support in environments where humans can only operate at great risk or not at all. Especially promising are situations where classical methods are not feasible due to (targeted) disruptions in the electromagnetic spectrum, GPS break down or challenging environments. Therefore, IRIS addresses the question how self-organising, robust and adaptive robotic swarms can still function effectively in the face of adverse conditions.

Tom Weber, program lead of IRIS, says: „We are looking for contributions from robotics, communication technology, navigation technology, artificial intelligence and human-swarm interaction. We expect research ideas that rethink robust robotic swarms in real challenging environments and come up with new concepts.”

The research program with a duration of more than three years, is expected to provide new momentum for the internal and external security in Germany. The results of the research program will be evaluated in the form of a demonstrator, to ensure real-world suitability of the developed technology.

The call is addressed to research institutions and companies that want to contribute to robust robotic swarms with innovative concepts. Interested parties are invited to hand in their concepts and ideas until the 6th of October 2026. Further information can be found on the website of the Cyberagentur.

The call has been published in the supplement of the Official Journal of the European Union with the following number TED 539084-2026; Evergabe-online.de: https://www.evergabe-online.de/tenderdetails.html?2&id=877591. The call will end on the 6th of October 2026.

Further information:

https://www.cyberagentur.de/en/programs/iris/

Press contact:

Agentur für Innovation in der Cybersicherheit GmbH
Große Steinstraße 19
06108 Halle (Saale)
Michael Lindner
Press Officer
Phone: +49 151 44150 645
Email:presse@cyberagentur.de

Background: Cyberagentur

The Agentur für Innovation in der Cybersicherheit GmbH (Cyberagentur) was founded in 2020 by the German Federal Government as a wholly owned in-house entity of the federal government under the joint leadership of the German Federal Ministry of Defence and the Federal Ministry of the Interior, with the aim of adopting an application-strategy-oriented and interagency perspective on internal and external security in the field of cybersecurity. Against this backdrop, the Cyberagentur’s work is primarily aimed at the institutionalized implementation of highly innovative projects that carry a high risk with regard to achieving their objectives but, at the same time, have the potential to be highly disruptive if successful.

The Cyberagentur is an integral part of the National Security Strategy of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The Cyberagentur is led by Prof. Dr. Christian Hummert as Scientific Director and Bettina Bubnys as Commercial Director.

---

Wissenschaftlicher Ansprechpartner:
Tom Weber, program lead of IRIS

---

Originalpublikation:
https://www.cyberagentur.de/en/press/iris-robust-interaction-of-robotic-systems-in-heterogeneous-swarms-for-use-in-crisis-and-disaster-situations/

---

Weitere Informationen:
https://www.cyberagentur.de/en/programs/iris/