EU unveils drone security action plan with pilots, testing and €250M BMVI call

The European Commission published a 2026 action plan for drone and counter-drone security across five pillars, covering deployment pilots, testing facilities and voluntary joint purchasing. A call for expressions of interest is due by Q2 2026, alongside a €250 million BMVI call for maritime and land border protection.

• Five pillars: deployment, testing, standardisation, EASA certification and industrial scale-up
• Call for expressions of interest on voluntary counter-drone deployment due by Q2 2026
• €250 million BMVI call targets maritime and land border protection
• JRC's EU counter-drone Living Lab to become a centre of excellence