A researcher working on the design AI-driven methods for secure and trustworthy drone operations will share his expertise at one of the South East Science Festival's most keenly anticipated free events.

'Drones in Everyday Life - Promise, Potential, and Protection' is the title of Walton Institute researcher Iftikhar Umrani's talk in Clonmel Library in Tipperary on Wednesday, November 12, at 6.45pm. Pre-registration is not required.

Drones are transforming how we live and work, from helping farmers monitor crops and improve harvests to enabling doorstep delivery of packages and medicines, he said ahead of the much-anticipated talk.

"As these intelligent flying systems take on bigger roles in daily life, the UAVSec project at Walton Institute, SETU, funded by CONNECT Research Ireland Centre, investigates how to keep them secure ensuring they cannot be hacked or disrupted while in flight. The aim is to build trust in drone technology so it can serve communities with confidence and security.

"Drones are opening new opportunities in areas such as precision farming, environmental monitoring, search and rescue, and the fast delivery of essential goods. They help reduce costs, save time, and support communities particularly in rural or hard-to-reach areas.

"As drones become more autonomous, ensuring their safety, privacy, and security is essential. Public acceptance and regulatory frameworks also remain important challenges. Research under the UAVSec project focuses on protecting these systems from interference and building public trust in their use," the PhD researcher in the Department of Computing and Mathematics at Walton Institute, South East Technological University said.

Iftikhar Umrani has been with Walton since March 2023, lives in Waterford City and has a keen interest in how emerging technologies can serve local communities safely and responsibly.

The much-anticipated event is one of dozens on the South East Science Festival programme for 2025 from November 8 to 16 across pubs, restaurants, libraries, theatres, schools and community hubs in Waterford city and county, Clonmel and Carlow.

All of the events across all three counties are designed to showcase how relevant all things science are in our everyday lives.

Dr Sheila Donegan, Director of CALMAST, the South East Technological University's STEM engagement centre, said. "We're really looking forward to engaging with all sections of the community, from primary school children right up to adult-only audiences for this year's South East Science Festival programme. It's fun, it's engaging, it's entertaining and educational. We're delighted to work with Research Ireland and with our partners and sponsors, key among them the local authorities, SETU, key STEM employers in the region.

"We now invite members of the public to peruse the schedule of events running across libraries, theatres, pubs, educational hubs, museums and so much more and to book their place. We will mix comedy and science and will be looking at why copper was mined in Waterford and if it could be again. We're examining fossils in the city, will host a coastal change workshop and walk and much more. Many events booked out within hours last year and we expect the very same for 2025," Dr Donegan said.