New production hall Inleap Photonics Begins Series Production of Laser Drone Defence Systems in Hanover

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Inleap Photonics will open its new production hall for laser-based drone defence systems at its Hanover site on 30 October 2026. Inleap Fastlight HELD systems will be manufactured there in series. Production ramp-up and further deliveries are due to begin in November 2026.

Inleap Fastlight HELD (High Energy Laser Drone) is a mobile laser-based drone defence system mounted on an all-terrain uncrewed ground platform. It detects, tracks and identifies a drone, then directs the laser beam at specific weak points to neutralise it within seconds.

Its ultra-fast laser beam steering also enables moving targets to be tracked and engaged precisely. The system provides remotely operated protection for mobile units, temporarily secured areas and critical infrastructure.

“Small, fast-moving drones place high demands on the precision of neutralisation. Once AI has detected a drone’s weak point, our technology directs the laser beam at the identified target in a fraction of a second and keeps it precisely aligned even as the target moves. With HELD, we are making this capability available for mobile operational scenarios,” says Dr Felix Wellmann, CTO and founder of Inleap Photonics.

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Six stations, one continuous production flow

With its new production line, Inleap Photonics is moving from prototype development to industrial series production. The company is thereby establishing its own production capacity for laser-based drone defence technology in Germany.

The new production facility is organised according to the one-piece-flow principle. Each Inleap Fastlight HELD system passes individually through six coordinated production stations, without intermediate storage. This shortens lead times and makes it possible to ramp up production flexibly as demand grows.

“Starting series production lays the foundation for reliably fulfilling larger orders and responding to the requirements of military customers with the necessary production capacity,” says Dr Marius Lammers, CEO and founder of Inleap Photonics. “Europe needs not only innovative technologies, but above all the ability to manufacture them domestically in significant quantities.”

High-tech value creation in Lower Saxony

The opening of the production facility also marks the next stage of growth at the company’s Lower Saxony site. Inleap Photonics currently employs 50 people and aims to increase its workforce in Hanover to more than 100 by the end of 2027.

“Innovative technologies for drone defence and the protection of critical infrastructure are increasingly coming from Lower Saxony. Inleap Photonics demonstrates how cutting-edge research can lead to industrial value creation and new jobs. Having our own development and production capabilities is strategically important, particularly for security-related technologies. The fact that a Hanover-based company is successfully taking this path from research to series production strengthens Lower Saxony as a centre for innovation and industry,” says Olaf Lies, Minister-President of Lower Saxony.

Sven Weizenegger, Head of the Bundeswehr Cyber Innovation Hub (CIHBw), will attend the opening alongside Olaf Lies. Only recently, Inleap Photonics and the CIHBw publicly demonstrated the laser-based interception of a flying drone at Strausberg civilian airfield near Berlin, marking the conclusion of their joint “Laserdome” innovation project.

“With Laserdome, Inleap Photonics and the Bundeswehr Cyber Innovation Hub demonstrated for the first time the use of a laser to counter drones at a public airport. The laser delivers the effect; AI-supported software provides the precision. For this capability to reach the troops, it now needs to be scaled up. The start of series production at Inleap Photonics is an important signal in that respect,” says Sven Weizenegger, Head of the Bundeswehr Cyber Innovation Hub.

First systems to be delivered

Alongside the launch of the new series-production line, Inleap Photonics is handing over the first turnkey Inleap Fastlight HELD systems to its partner Stark. The new production capacity is therefore moving directly into delivery.