EAASI launches second thesis award as a platform for emerging talent

Following the success of its inaugural edition, the European Association of Aerial Surveying Industries (EAASI) is launching the second edition of its Outstanding Thesis Award – Spatial Business Bridge. This initiative is designed to spotlight postgraduate research that connects geospatial technologies with real-world business applications.

This 2025 edition continues EAASI’s mission to bridge the gap between academic excellence and the operational needs of the aerial surveying sector, while also reflecting the growing demand for practical, industry-relevant innovation.

Projects with potential

Submissions are now open for the 2025 edition of the EAASI Outstanding Thesis Award. The award is open to master’s, doctoral, and post-doctoral students who have submitted a thesis or equivalent project report to a European university in 2023, 2024 or 2025. The final deadline for applications is 31 August 2025.

Incorporated in 2019, EAASI represents organizations across the European crewed aerial surveying market. Its mission is to promote the benefits of aerial surveying, raise awareness of aerial survey data, and uphold best practices in the industry. As part of this mission, EAASI’s prestigious award celebrates breakthrough academic projects that apply geospatial data from crewed airborne platforms in new and impactful ways.

Applicants are expected to demonstrate a strong grasp of geospatial technologies and how these can be applied in real-world contexts – especially where there is clear relevance to business or operational decision-making. The jury will also look for projects with potential for industry adoption or commercial impact.

The winner of the 2025 EAASI Outstanding Thesis Award will receive a EUR2,000 cash prize, full travel and accommodation expenses to present their work at the EAASI Partner Summit, and a trophy and certificate of recognition. Their achievement will also be featured in the EAASI Hall of Fame and highlighted across industry media and platforms, offering valuable exposure at the start of their professional journey.

New geospatial voices

The previous EAASI Thesis Award - which was also the very first edition - received an overwhelming number of submissions from postgraduate students from universities across Europe. The association was deeply impressed by the high quality and diversity of research topics, which included AI-powered environmental monitoring, 3D city modelling, and aerial data for infrastructure planning.

“The first edition set a high standard for combining technical innovation with practical relevance,” said EAASI Secretary General Marcos Martínez. “We are excited to see how new voices in academia continue to shape the future of our industry."

Quddus Busari, a postgraduate student at the University of Leicester, received the first-ever EAASI Thesis Award for his thesis on using artificial intelligence (AI) and aerial data to enhance tree classification – a project that showed both technical excellence and tangible business value for national mapping initiatives.

EAASI invites all eligible students to apply and become part of an exciting movement shaping the future of aerial surveying through academic insight and business impact.

Click here for the application form.