23rd-25th September, 2024 | Conference
Invited Speakers
Dr. Mindaugas Varanauskas (Baltic Viper, JSC / Kaunas, Lithuania)
Drones in Modern Warfare
Monday, 23rd September, 10:15–11:00, Room A
Mindaugas Varanauskas received his PhD degree in technology from Kaunas University of Technology. He has more than 20 years of experience in the mobile telecommunications area. Since 1997, he has worked at Omnitel/Telia in various management positions, including CTO at Omnitel and Head of Networks at Telia Lithuania. He has also held several managerial positions in Telia’s global organization. Since 2022, he has been involved as a volunteer in the “Maži bet Stiprūs” organization, helping Ukrainian army troops. He is currently working at UAB “Dangolakis” under the brand name Baltic Viper, producing different types of FPV drones for the Ukrainian army.
Drones in Ukraine have completely changed the way we use them on battlefields. This area is developing rapidly, similar to planes or tanks during the First World War. First-person view (FPV) drones have evolved significantly during the last years of conflict in Ukraine. The presentation will describe the major impact of drones on modern warfare, anti-drone guns and jamming systems, and new drone developments
Dr. Andrius Vilkauskas (Kaunas University of Technology / Kaunas, Lithuania)
From Defence Capabilities requirements to Research and Development and Innovations in Defence Technologies
Monday, 23rd September, 11:45–12:30, Room A
Dr. Andrius Vilkauskas holds a PhD in Technological Sciences, Mechanical engineering. Before serving as a dean Andrius took various positions in Defence technologies industries at Giraite Armament Factory later he was sharing his experience in NATO Industrial Advisory Group representing Lithuanian delegation as a Head of Delegation and Deputy Head. In parallel with academic activities Andrius was working in Power and District heating manufacturing industry (CHP, Combined Heat and Power Plant) taking a part in Waste to Energy plant development from the green field till commercial operations and since 2016 till 2024 taking a position as a Chairman of the Board at Kaunas Cogeneration Plant. Never less he also represents research and studies competences at Engineering and Technology Industries Association of Lithuania LINPRA taking a part as a board member and since 2020 he holds Vice President position at LINPRA. Since 2024 Andrius Vilkauskas holds senior researcher position at Institute of Mechatronics at Kaunas University of Technology and also he manages Aviation Specialist Training Center at Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Design at Kaunas University of Technology.
As researchers with general and and civilian applications experience very often, we look in defense technologies, products and solutions from the research domain and from the perspective of exploration of the new possible inventions, a little bit les from innovations capabilities and just few form capabilities requirements and demands. In this presentation we will discuss translation challenges from military language of defence capabilities to the researcher language of R&D and switching to entrepreneurial language of Defence Innovations.
