SHERIDAN, WYOMING - December 19, 2025 - As illegal and abusive drone activity increasingly threatens people and critical infrastructure-especially near air traffic assets-industry association UAV DACH is urging European and national policymakers to establish clearer rules, shared visibility, and coordinated capabilities for effective drone detection and defense across Europe.
Why illegal UAS operations are becoming a business and security risk
UAV DACH argues that illicit drone flights do more than create isolated security incidents. They can undermine public trust in the responsible commercial use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), a sector with growing economic value across inspection, logistics, emergency response, and industrial operations. The association's position is that without stronger detection and defense frameworks, Europe risks slower adoption of legitimate UAS services and higher exposure for operators of high-value sites such as airports and other transport infrastructure.
Six policy demands aimed at lower-airspace safety and legal clarity
To address these risks, UAV DACH has formulated six demands focused on "effective and efficient" drone detection and defense in Europe. The proposals concentrate on visibility, harmonization, and readiness in lower airspace-where drones and traditional aviation increasingly intersect.
Key demands include:
- Creation of a uniform European air situation picture in lower airspace
- Mandatory Europe-wide introduction of ADS-L for all drones and aircraft in lower airspace
- A holistic and comprehensive definition of all potential threat scenarios
- Industry-oriented research and targeted national and European funding programmes
- Establishment of a European centre of excellence for drone detection and defense
- Specification of rules for private drone operations
Taken together, these measures aim to reduce fragmentation between countries and agencies, improve detection reliability, and define responsibilities-elements that directly affect procurement decisions and the operational viability of counter-UAS deployments.
What this could mean for airports and critical infrastructure operators
For airports and other sensitive facilities, UAV DACH's focus points to a practical requirement: counter-drone systems must operate within strict safety and compliance boundaries while providing actionable detection, identification, and response options. A shared "air situation picture" and standardized electronic visibility requirements could also reduce ambiguity in incident handling-helping security teams differentiate between lawful operations, misconfigured drones, and malicious activity in time-critical scenarios.
From a market perspective, clearer requirements may accelerate structured buying cycles for detection and mitigation solutions, while also raising expectations for interoperability, certification readiness, and cross-border operating models.
Standardization and funding as adoption accelerators for the European drone ecosystem
UAV DACH emphasizes that commercial UAS growth depends on acceptance, legal certainty, and predictable risk management-especially as drones expand into more complex environments. By pairing technical measures (such as ADS-L visibility) with research and funding programs, the association is effectively advocating for a dual-track strategy: strengthen security in the near term while building a European innovation base that supports competitive industrial capabilities over time.
XPONENTIAL Europe 2026 positioned as a cross-stakeholder forum
The association's priorities align with the agenda of XPONENTIAL Europe, described as Europe's leading trade fair for autonomous technologies and robotics. The event is set for March 24-26, 2026 at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre, bringing together manufacturers, users, authorities, researchers, and regulators to discuss detection, electronic visibility, standards, and responsibilities in lower airspace.
Dr Gerald Wissel, CEO of UAV DACH, also emphasises the importance of such platforms for cross-industry dialogue: "Platforms such as XPONENTIAL Europe are crucial for bringing together all players in the field of autonomous systems."
For event details and programme highlights, visit https://www.xponential-europe.com.