Victor Van Der Drift

Victor is a researcher and project manager in the Robotics and Autonomous Systems unit of the Mechanics Department at the Royal Military Academy of Belgium. His primary focus is enhancing the effectiveness of human teleoperation for unmanned ground vehicles equipped with dual-arm manipulators, specifically in the context of explosive threat disposal or demining.

 

As a strategic and analytical engineer, Victor is dedicated to bridging the gap between technology and society by translating scientific innovation into inclusive, sustainable solutions that prioritize human welfare and well-being. Prior to joining the RMA, he worked as a Research & Strategy Analyst at Capgemini Engineering Belgium for Toyota Motor Europe in the areas of Urban Mobility and Trustworthy AI.

 

During his Master’s degree in Robotics at TU Delft, Victor specialized in autonomous urban navigation at the Reliable Robot Control Lab and LiDAR object detection & tracking at Demcon Unmanned Systems. His Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at TU Delft included developing an electronic tire force estimation device at the Bicycle Lab. In addition to studying, he was actively involved in extracurricular activities at his Study Association Gezelschap Leeghwater that honed his organizational, management, and social skills.

 

In 2026, Victor joined the Belgian Royal Military Academy to contribute to the eUGS project, which aims to develop next-generation unmanned ground systems to support military engineers in hazardous environments.