Military drone operates in shared airspace during German-Dutch test flight
NewsFebruary 06, 2025
SCHLESWIG, Germany. A German Heron TP drone conducted a test flight in both military- and civilian-controlled airspace between Germany and the Netherlands, marking progress toward integrating remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) into general air traffic, the European Defence Agency (EDA) announced in a statement.
The flight, conducted on Feb. 3, was part of an ongoing effort to enable RPAS to operate safely alongside commercial aircraft. The test, which followed a 2021 flight between France and Spain, was the first of its kind to take place in upper airspace, the statement reads.
The EDA initiated the project through a tender awarded to a consortium led by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in collaboration with the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (Royal NLR) and the German armed forces. The German air force provided the Heron TP for testing, with support from the German military aviation authority.
During the mission, the drone departed from Schleswig, Germany, and climbed through military-controlled airspace before transitioning to German civilian air traffic control and EUROCONTROL’s Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre. It then entered Dutch airspace at approximately 28,000 feet, a region predominantly occupied by commercial aviation, the statement says.
The test flight aimed to refine procedures for RPAS operations in shared airspace, including loss-of-communication scenarios and operations at maximum altitude, according to the statement.
Additional test flights are scheduled in the coming weeks to validate the compatibility of mitigation measures across different RPAS platforms, including civilian drones, the statement adds.
