Europe’s drone defense drive faces legal hurdles and open-system challenges

At a Berlin defense conference, European drone firms urged faster EU procurement, broader funding, and a unified approach as the EU expands SAFE loans and EDIP; policymakers are exploring joint capability coalitions and a European preference for defense sourcing, including a rule that at least 65% of components come from the EU, Norway, or Ukraine. While donors and industry see promise in funding tools and shared standards, legal barriers and the need for open, interoperable architectures remain the main hurdles. Experts also emphasize demonstrating product viability locally (e.g., protecting Lithuania’s airport) to scale up, while concerns over China and resource dependencies drive EU diversification efforts under plans like Resource EU.