Germany will expand research into drone defence after a drone carrying explosives was found at Leipzig/Halle Airport, with a new facility planned at the German Aerospace Center’s test airport in Cochstedt, Saxony-Anhalt. The centre is due to begin work on 18 August and will focus on developing and testing counter-drone technologies in real-world conditions.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt tied the project to the recent airport incident and described the site as a nationwide unique facility created with the DLR. The aim is to combine scientific expertise, technological innovation and the operational needs of security authorities. Federal government background material says Germany already has a joint drone defence centre and a separate drone defence unit, while the new research site is intended to strengthen both development and practical deployment of counter-drone systems.