Two new centres for testing drones will be built in the Netherlands and Latvia.
European Commissioner for the Economy Valdis Dombrovskis announced this at a NATO event in Riga, Euractiv reports.
According to Dombrovskis, the sites will make it possible to develop, test and assess new military concepts and technologies for ground, maritime and aerial drones under real operational conditions. Both facilities are expected to begin operating by 2027.
The centre in Latvia will be located at the Selonia military training area near NATO ranges, focusing on aerial and ground unmanned systems as well as counter-drone technologies. In the Netherlands, the hub will be based in Scheveningen, where maritime drones will be tested to protect ports and ensure seabed security.
The development is part of the large-scale European DECODER project, which aims to close critical gaps in the EU’s defence capabilities. The initiative has already secured €60 million in funding. Almost all EU countries, as well as Ukraine and Norway, are involved in the project. In the future, Europe plans to establish more such centres for joint training and procurement.