Scalability and quick customisation is essential The Industrialisation of Drones has just Started

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Until the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, drones in military use were still regarded as rather exotic weapons systems within the Western alliance. On the battlefield, however, drones quickly established themselves as disposable weapons, driven primarily by the Ukrainian armed forces. Since then, development in Europe has accelerated dramatically. An overview.

The Bundeswehr recently described a test of drone swarms as a success. At the Altmark training area in Saxony-Anhalt, a so-called reconnaissance and strike network was tested, consisting of reconnaissance drones, AI-supported command software and kamikaze drones, also referred to as loitering munitions. Models from various manufacturers were deployed. The Bundeswehr stated that this represented an “important” milestone for the conduct of future warfare. The Bundeswehr’s push in the area of comparatively inexpensive, mass-deployable drones is also reflected in its accelerated procurement. By German standards, this marks a small revolution. The fact that the Bundeswehr is finally acquiring attack drones is in itself noteworthy. The Social Democratic Party (SPD), in particular, had long opposed this step on ethical grounds. To circumvent this, the Bundeswehr has reportedly employed a legal workaround: it does not classify the aircraft as drones but as munitions. This makes certification significantly easier. The first tranche of drones is expected to be delivered by the end of the year.