Germany is planning a drone innovation hub (DIH) to encourage technological innovation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for the military.
The development comes on the heels of parliamentary approval of up to one million euros ($1.2 million) last year to support startups in the field of military drones, German news outlet Augen Geradeaus reported.
Apart from the DIH, Germany will develop a “competence center” for UAV to coordinate the work of innovators and integrate them into a system.
Identify Drone-Related Technologies
The DIH is tasked with observing and encouraging emerging drone technologies and, as an interface between innovators and the ministry of defense, identify and evaluate relevant technologies, the German website reported.
For the initial stage of its function, the hub will be located at the Ingolstadt Manching military airbase in Bavaria, while an economic feasibility study is ongoing to outline its later stages.
Approval of the plan and identification of a permanent location for the DIH are expected to be announced in the second quarter of this year.
Germany is planning to build the infrastructure for an indigenous supply line of UAV for its armed forces at a time when a debate is raging in the country’s parliament whether to buy armed drones from abroad or not.
A vote on the matter in parliament has reportedly been postponed indefinitely.
