Illegal and abusive drone use poses growing challenges for public authorities and risks undermining public trust in legitimate commercial unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operations. In response, UAV DACH – Association for Unmanned Aviation has outlined six policy priorities it considers essential for effective and efficient drone detection and countermeasures across Europe.
Unmanned aviation offers significant economic and societal value. To unlock this potential at scale, the industry depends on clear technical standards, defined responsibilities and a high level of safety in lower airspace. From UAV DACH’s perspective, security is a prerequisite for market growth and social acceptance.
Against this backdrop, the association has identified six key action areas for national and European policymakers:
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A harmonized European air situation picture in lower airspace to reliably distinguish between cooperative and non-cooperative operations
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Mandatory Europe-wide implementation of ADS-L as a standard for identification and electronic visibility in lower airspace
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A holistic definition of potential threat scenarios as a basis for regulation, technology deployment and operational concepts
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Industry-oriented research and targeted funding programs at national and European level
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The establishment of a European center of excellence for drone detection and countermeasures
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Clearer and more specific rules for private drone operations to reduce misuse and increase legal certainty
The interplay between security, regulation and commercial UAS deployment will also be a key topic at XPONENTIAL Europe, March 24–26, 2026, Düsseldorf, both on the show floor and within the conference program.
