For the future development of the UAS industry, quick and easy access to suitable testing facilities for new technologies and innovative operating concepts is crucial. This applies, for example, to BVLOS missions and when it comes to operating multiple drones in coordinated swarms. With the National Test Center for Unmanned Aerial Systems in Cochstedt, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has created such a facility and gradually expanded it in recent years.
To mark the inauguration of the new main building, the DLR hosted an information event in Cochstedt, which was attended by Dr. Reiner Haseloff, Minister President of Saxony-Anhalt, and Dr. Marcus Pleyer, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, among others. Oliver Lichtenstein, Deputy Chairman of the Board of UAV DACH, was present and, as a participant in a panel discussion on “Research, Technology and Industry,” brought the perspective of the European drone economy into the debate. He emphasized how important it is for industry and authorities to test and further develop drone technologies under practical conditions.
However, in order for the findings obtained in Cochstedt and elsewhere to be successfully transferred to real-world operations, mandatory electronic visibility of all airspace participants – for example, via ADS-L – must be ensured. This requires clear and pragmatic decisions and consistent cooperation between all stakeholders.
The fact that consistency and pragmatism can lead to good solutions for the UAS industry is illustrated, among other things, by the geographical area recently established by the Federal Ministry of Transport in Magdeburg-Cochstedt, in which UAS operations are exempt from several requirements in the “open” category. The expanded testing opportunities and the elimination of numerous lengthy approval processes are further.
(Photo Credit: DLR)