At Alliance for New Mobility Europe (AME), we believe the future of air mobility lies in creating strong connections across the entire ecosystem – from civil operators and regulators to defense stakeholders. Our President, Andres van Swalm, recently in interview with XPONENTIAL Europe about the opportunities and challenges ahead, highlighting the importance of bridging civil and military drone communities.
Europe’s Progress on Drone Regulation
Over the past years, Europe has established a solid foundation for drone operations through regulations such as EU 2019/947 and EU 2021/664. These frameworks introduce risk-based approaches, harmonisation, and U-space traffic management – all essential to integrating drones and eVTOLs into European skies.
Yet, challenges remain. Implementation is complex, resources are stretched, and adoption is slower than the industry would like. This is where collaboration becomes crucial. Projects like BURDI in Belgium and U-ELCOME in Spain and Italy are leading the way, demonstrating how Member States, regulators, and industry can work together to establish operational U-space environments.
Why Civil–Military Integration Matters
Airspace is shared – and so are the opportunities. By aligning civil and military processes, Europe can:
- Improve safety and situational awareness
- Increase efficiency across shared skies
- Unlock dual-use innovation, where defense investments accelerate civilian adoption
History shows us the benefits of this approach. Technologies like GPS, first developed for military use, are now part of our everyday lives. Drones can follow the same path, benefiting society, industry, and security alike.
The Role of Funding
Technology is no longer the barrier. Regulations are in place. The market is growing. But consistent, targeted funding is essential to move from pilot projects to large-scale operations. NATO’s recent call for Member States to allocate 5% of GDP to defense, with 1.5% for security-related domains could also open new opportunities for dual-use systems – a chance to accelerate adoption while strengthening resilience.
AME’s Vision
At AME, our goal is clear: to create a European market for all players in air mobility – suppliers and users, private and public. By fostering stronger ties between civil and military communities, we can accelerate progress, ensure safe integration, and position Europe as a global leader in drone operations.