Since 2021, the National Test Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, established by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), has been officially operational. During this time, the grounds of Magdeburg-Cochstedt Airport have been successively redeveloped to create optimal conditions for research and industry. With the opening of the new main building and the introduction of a designated geographic zone, the site now offers significantly expanded testing opportunities.
In late 2018, the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag approved the necessary funding, and six months later, the state government of Saxony-Anhalt also gave its approval. With the acquisition of Cochstedt Airport by DLR, the foundation was laid for establishing a National Test Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems roughly 35 kilometers southwest of Magdeburg. The goal was to create adequate air- and ground-based infrastructure to test innovative technologies and modern concepts for the uncrewed future of aviation.
Steady increase in utilization
This objective appears to be increasingly realized—at least when considering the center’s utilization levels. According to DLR, usage has grown by approximately 20 percent annually since 2021. Of the 175 usage days recorded in 2024, about half were attributed to external customers and cooperation partners from research and industry. Continued efforts to further enhance the facility are expected to increase its importance in the coming years.
DLR has invested roughly 20 million euros to upgrade the site and establish the structural conditions for a comprehensive and productive test environment. The conversion of the former terminal building—now serving as the test center’s main facility—has been completed. Up to 120 people can work on-site simultaneously, and additional space is available for around 100 day visitors for conferences and events.
Active commercial airport
For development and test campaigns, the available flight operations are even more crucial than the infrastructure on the ground. In Cochstedt, unmanned aircraft can be tested directly at an actively operated commercial airport. Moreover, Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) established a geographic zone effective 27 November 2025, enabling extensive exemptions for UAS operations within the Open Category. The legal basis for this is Article 15 of EU Implementing Regulation 2019/947.
While geo-zones are typically intended to restrict drone operations near sensitive areas such as airports, the new zone in Cochstedt enables operational relief. Within this area, drone flights are exempt from multiple requirements normally applicable in the Open Category—including BVLOS operations, flight altitudes above 120 meters AGL, and the operation of unmanned aircraft exceeding 25 kilograms. This allows companies to conduct product development and testing much faster and more flexibly, as the time-consuming approval process through the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt becomes unnecessary.
> This article was produced in cooperation with Drones – Insights for the Uncrewed Future (www.drones-magazin.de).
