The Norwegian drone company Tiepoint is donating the full first prize from the NORDSEC EUDIS Defence Hackathon 2026 to Fritt Ukraina. The €6,000 award will go directly to supporting Ukrainian units operating at the front line.
Fritt Ukraina is a Norwegian non-governmental organisation that provides direct support to Ukrainian units, with a particular focus on drone operations, air defence, mobility, and energy supply. Working closely with trusted partners on the ground, the organisation delivers vehicles, equipment, and critical infrastructure to frontline units, ensuring rapid and targeted assistance where operational needs are greatest.
Tiepoint donates the €6,000 award to Norwegian NGO Fritt Ukraina. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri
– This is technology developed to solve real challenges in war. It feels right that the prize also goes directly to those facing these realities every day, says Mats Mikalsen Kristensen, Managing Director of Tiepoint.
Based at Andøya, Tiepoint develops advanced drone systems, autonomy, and artificial intelligence, and has positioned itself as an innovative player in defence technology. During the hackathon in Trondheim, the team secured first place with an AI-based interception solution designed to improve targeting accuracy while reducing the need for manual piloting.
Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri
The hackathon theme, “Defending airspace,” challenged participants to address emerging aerial threats. Tiepoint’s winning contribution focused on low-cost interceptor drones.
Their solution is an AI-driven autonomous system that can be integrated into both existing and future UAV platforms. It uses vision-based detection and tracking combined with reinforcement learning to identify and pursue targets, enabling autonomous interception without requiring advanced FPV piloting skills.
– A key objective is to develop autonomy and AI that can scale across platforms, addressing the challenge of low-cost, mass-produced UAV threats without relying on elite operators, Kristensen explains.
Mats Mikalsen Kristensen, Managing Director of Tiepoint. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri
Second place went to Halodyne, which developed an autonomous, mobile counter-drone platform for close-range defence. Third place was awarded to Team SPARK from the Norwegian Home Guard, with a scalable and cost-efficient drone detection solution based on acoustic sensor networks.
Together, the top three teams demonstrated the breadth of emerging defence solutions—from detection to effect—tailored to the demands of a rapidly evolving threat landscape.
Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri
Tiepoint has supported Fritt Ukraina previously and has established close collaboration with a Ukrainian unit also backed by the organisation. This cooperation has provided the company with first-hand insight into operational needs on the ground, influencing its technology development.
– We have followed the work of Fritt Ukraina for a long time and have seen firsthand how impactful this type of support is. That makes it even more meaningful to contribute when we can, says Kristensen.
According to Natalia Golis, the donation will go directly into the organisation’s air defence initiatives.
– Support from Tiepoint will strengthen our ongoing air defence projects, she says.
Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri
See also: How Norwegian and European teams are solving the future of drone warfare
Tiepoint now advances to the European EUDIS programme, where the team will further develop its solution alongside winners from across Europe. While continuing its technology development, the company has chosen to allocate its prize money to support Ukraine—underscoring a commitment that goes beyond innovation alone.
The hackathon forms part of a broader European effort to accelerate defence innovation and lower the barrier to entry for new actors in the sector. Winning teams from national events gain access to mentorship programmes and the opportunity to pitch their solutions at EU level.
The event was organised by NORDSEC – Nordic Defence and Security Cluster in collaboration with NTNU Samfunnssikkerhet and SINTEF, highlighting Trondheim’s growing role as a hub for defence and security innovation.
Across all three winning teams, a clear common denominator emerged: solutions grounded in real operational needs, designed for scalability, and ready to move beyond the prototype stage.
Mats Mikalsen Kristensen presenting for the jury. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri
Se also posts from Fritt Ukraina: Tiepoint donates first prize (English) and Tiepoint donerer førstepremie (Norwegian)