European Drone Forum: IT & Cybersecurity—Balancing Needs and Practicality

As part of XPONENTIAL Europe, the leading European trade fair and conference for autonomous systems and robotics, the European Drone Forum (EDF) 2025 also took place on February 17 and 18 in Düsseldorf. PD Dr. Corinna Schmitt from the Cyber Defense and Smart Data Research Institute (CODE), representing the National Coordination Center for Cybersecurity Germany (NCC-DE), moderated a town hall debate titled “Is a proper balance possible? IT & Cybersecurity: Between Needs and Practicability.” The guests were Pedro Lousã, COO of the Portuguese drone manufacturer Beyond Vision, and Matthias Gronstedt, CEO of HHLA Sky GmbH in Hamburg.

Safety is the top priority in unmanned aviation. Resilience against technical malfunctions and potential external interference is of crucial importance in this context, particularly during flights beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) or in automated operations. Furthermore, data security is in the fundamental interest of both operators and customers. Data security is also a fundamental prerequisite for many use cases in sensitive areas. Since the risk-based approach of European drone law distinguishes between different operational categories, it is worth discussing — with regard to IT and cybersecurity — whether a general standard is necessary or whether, depending on the specific use case, striking a balance between necessity and practicality makes sense.

Together, the participants discussed both dimensions — “one-size-fits-all” solutions versus tailored solutions — and which risks must be prioritized when developing solutions. While customers must be involved in the design process, the process itself and its duration are hardly influenced by the application or the circumstances. This means that in some cases a quick solution is needed to provide immediate assistance, but in other cases comprehensive safety is essential — for example, when critical infrastructure is involved. The discussion then turned to how regulations set limits and hinder rapid development, and how exactly regulations must be complied with in general. The question of whether aviation regulations need to be adapted specifically for drones — since they generally originate from the traditional aviation sector — was also discussed. Finally, the discussion focused on what certifications are expected from drone manufacturers with regard to cybersecurity requirements.

The European Drone Forum is organized by UAV DACH – Association for Unmanned Aviation e.V. This annual event brings together industry representatives, regulators, and researchers with policymakers to jointly set the course for the future of unmanned aviation. Among the key topics at this year’s event were:

• Technical and conceptual solutions for the safe integration of drones into European airspace;
• Establishing framework conditions for environmentally and economically sustainable drone operations;
• Uniform interpretation and application of regulatory standards for unmanned systems in Europe;
• Optimal infrastructure for drones and eVTOLs (“flying taxis”) in the air and on the ground.

^{Photo: © Messe Düsseldorf / ctillmann}