ROBOTS
Professor · Researcher · Public Speaker

Real technology,
not hype.
Decisions you can trust.

I help investors, industry, defense organizations and the media cut through the noise around drones, AI, robotics and autonomous systems — independent expertise grounded in active research and trusted by leading national and international outlets.

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Julián Estévez
Donostia — San Sebastián
Associate Professor
University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)
As featured in
El Confidencial La Vanguardia Euskadi Irratia Maldita.es Forbes
About

Where robotics and AI meet the real world

My research tackles one of the hardest problems in robotics: getting multiple robots to work together autonomously in real-world environments. That work sits at the center of a fast-moving landscape I follow closely — generative AI, humanoid and industrial robots, autonomous vehicles, swarm systems, and the rise of military robotics.

Beyond the lab, I work closely with industry and the startup ecosystem — advising companies on where these technologies are genuinely heading, separating real capability from hype, and helping teams make grounded decisions about what to build and when.

Work with me

What I do
for you

Whether you're an investor weighing a deep-tech bet, an industrial company adopting drones or robots, or a defense organization or think tank that needs a clear technical read, I give you the independent expertise to decide with confidence — not marketing, not hype.

Book a consultation →
20+
Years researching AI & autonomous systems
18+
Peer-reviewed publications
EU
Former European Commission AI expert
Forbes · El Confidencial · La Vanguardia
Featured in
01
Technology Due Diligence
Before you commit capital to a drone, AI or robotics startup, I tell you whether the technology actually works, how defensible it is, and where the real risks lie — in plain terms an investment committee can act on.
Advisory & Consulting
02
An independent technical partner for companies navigating autonomous systems: separating genuine capability from vendor promises, pressure-testing roadmaps, and helping you decide what to build, buy or avoid.
03
Corporate Talks & Briefings
Keynotes and private briefings that make drones, AI, humanoid robots and autonomous systems clear to boards, teams and clients — grounded in research, delivered without jargon, and trusted by leading media.
Areas of expertise

Where I go
deep

01
Drones — Civil & Military
Civil drone applications across delivery, inspection and surveillance services, and the systems that make them viable — alongside deep expertise in military UAVs, drone platforms used in Ukraine, Iran and other conflicts, evolving NATO regulation, and the strategic and ethical implications of autonomy on the battlefield.
02
Autonomous Vehicles
An evidence-based view of the real state of the art, the persistent gap between public promises and market reality, and the use cases that are genuinely viable today.
03
Humanoid Robots
The industrial deployment of humanoid platforms such as Figure AI and Tesla Optimus over 2025–2030, with a grounded assessment of investment cases and labor-market impact.
04
AI in Education
Risks, opportunities and ethical frameworks for AI in learning environments, informed by my work with the European Commission Expert Group on the ethics of AI in education.
05
AI Regulation
How the EU AI Act and the AI Code of Practice are taking shape, and what the balance between innovation and oversight means in practice for companies and institutions.
06
Tech Geopolitics
Semiconductor supply chains, export controls, and the US–China technology rivalry, and how these dynamics translate into concrete risk and opportunity for markets.
Research

Peer-reviewed research

Published in top JCR-indexed journals — including Neurocomputing, Drones, Aerospace Science & Technology, IEEE Access and others — on cooperative robotics, autonomous UAVs and cable-suspended payload transport.

View full list on Google Scholar →
Blog

Permanent
Future

Analysis in English and Spanish on technical, sometimes funny and sometimes irreverent viewpoint of the latest hypes and trends in today's technology (robotics, generative AI, drone delivery airtaxis, educational technology and military drones).

LET'S TALK.

Journalists, editors, heads of innovation, conference organizers: if you're looking for a technical voice with judgment of its own, feel free to contact.

PROFILES & NETWORKS

© 2026 Julián Estévez · CC BY NC ND 4.0
UPV/EHU · Donostia–San Sebastián