The fifth drone seminar held at the Estonian Aviation Academy brought together government agencies, aviation and security companies, and other stakeholders in the unmanned aviation sector. Throughout the day, participants discussed the future of Estonia\u2019s drone sector, the testing of new technologies, drone traffic management and ways to ensure safety.<\/strong><\/p>\n Estonia sets an ambitious goal for its drone sector<\/strong><\/p>\n The seminar was opened by Ott Tahk, a representative of the Government Office, who introduced Estonia\u2019s unmanned aviation roadmap. The aim is to determine what needs to be done for Estonia to become a global leader in the development of drone technologies.<\/p>\n The roadmap\u2019s vision for 2030 is ambitious: Estonia aims to become the best country in the world for developing and using drone technologies. To achieve this, the roadmap focuses on four key areas: industrial capacity, situational awareness, the development and operating environment, and expertise.<\/p>\n Tahk pointed out that unmanned aviation affects many different fields and that responsibility is shared among several institutions. Consequently, its development cannot be the responsibility of a single ministry or organisation. The roadmap is intended for ministries, educational and research institutions, investors, local authorities and drone operators alike.<\/p>\n The roadmap was approved in June 2026. Its implementation will be supported by expert groups that meet regularly. There are also plans to allocate budgets for the proposed activities and address counter-drone measures at the European Union level. Tahk emphasised that the roadmap is not a final document and can be updated as the sector develops.<\/p>\n Drone development requires dedicated testing areas<\/strong><\/p>\n J\u00fcri Joonas, a representative of the Ministry of Climate, focused on drone testing areas in his presentation. The sector is developing rapidly, but Estonia currently has no dedicated testing areas. In addition to suitable airspace, a good testing area should provide access and the necessary ground infrastructure.<\/p>\n P\u00e4rnu Airport was discussed as one possible location. Its advantages include state-owned infrastructure and access to both land and maritime areas. At the same time, its distance from Tallinn and the need to integrate drone testing with manned aviation must also be taken into account.<\/p>\n According to Joonas, a future testing area should be easy to use. It could be considered successful if international companies also wanted to test their technologies there.<\/p>\n Study reveals how drones are used in Estonia<\/strong><\/p>\n Priit Rifk presented the results of the Estonian Transport Administration\u2019s study of the unmanned aviation sector. The purpose of the study was to gain a better understanding of this rapidly developing field. Data was collected through several methods, including a survey completed by 388 respondents.<\/p>\n Nearly 30,000 unmanned aircraft flights were detected in Estonia in 2025. A total of 11,567 flights were detected near Tallinn Airport, and almost half of them violated the applicable altitude restrictions. The study also showed that drones are flown most actively during the summer months.<\/p>\n Most of the detected unmanned aircraft were used for recreational purposes, but the range of potential applications extends far beyond that. Drones are increasingly being used in areas such as photography and videography, surveying, agriculture and construction.<\/p>\n Based on the study, Rifk also highlighted several areas requiring further development. For example, drone operators need clearer, more accessible guidelines and up-to-date training materials. Permit procedures could also be simplified, the use of Remote ID expanded to make drones identifiable, and U-space, the traffic management system for unmanned aircraft, further developed.<\/p>\n More drones need to share the same airspace<\/strong><\/p>\n Teve Rahula, Head of the Development Department at Estonian Air Navigation Services (EANS), discussed the organisation\u2019s current and future role in the drone sector. One of the main questions is how to accommodate both aircraft and drones in the same airspace.<\/p>\n EANS\u2019s role is to ensure safety and develop solutions that will enable drones to fly more frequently and flexibly in the future. UTM solutions are being planned for Tartu and Kuressaare. These could make the planning and coordination of drone flights clearer and provide more opportunities to operate near airfields.<\/p>\n Drone operators should also benefit from DigiNOTAM, which enables information relevant to flight operations to be displayed more accurately and in a more user-friendly way. In the longer term, EANS sees itself as an enabler of the drone ecosystem. The aim is to reach a point where drones are everyday working tools and are operated safely.<\/p>\n U-space could bring drone traffic into a digital environment<\/strong><\/p>\n Giulio Segurini, a representative of STRADai, focused on the U-space business model and the opportunities offered by digital airspace.<\/p>\n Put simply, U-space can be described as a digital drone traffic management system that helps coordinate flights and ensure safer use of airspace. Segurini also raised the question of how these services will operate in the future and what role U-space service providers will play.<\/p>\n According to Segurini, technological development can progress rapidly when there is a shared commitment and a clear objective.<\/p>\n Drone service providers need clarity<\/strong><\/p>\n During the first panel discussion of the seminar, titled \u201cFrom Roadmap to Implementation\u201d, Priit Rifk, Eduard Vainu, Kristo Timberg and Ott Tahk discussed what drone service providers currently need.<\/p>\n The participants acknowledged that technology itself is not the only consideration. For a drone service to reach the market, there must also be a person or company willing to pay for it.<\/p>\n Companies also need clarity about the conditions under which new solutions can be developed and used. The panellists agreed that Estonia does not necessarily need to have the most lenient regulations for drones, but the rules must be clear to businesses.<\/p>\n Significant potential can be seen in areas such as agriculture and logistics. However, not every solution needs to be developed in a major city. Local authorities could also play a role in identifying suitable areas for drone operations.<\/p>\n The growing use of drones also raises security concerns<\/strong><\/p>\n During the second half of the day, the focus shifted to drone detection, counter-drone measures and the protection of critical infrastructure.<\/p>\n Kert Kotkas, a representative of the Police and Border Guard Board, introduced Estonia\u2019s C-UAS concept. C-UAS, or counter-unmanned aircraft systems, encompasses the measures and technologies used to detect, track and, when necessary, counter drones.<\/p>\n The discussion covered ways of forcing drones to land, the use of relevant countermeasures and the sharing of surveillance data between different authorities. Kotkas emphasised that the aim is not to make enforcement purely punishment-based, as prevention is also important.<\/p>\n Sten Nurmsalu, a representative of HexTech Solutions, explained how drone detection works in practice. The company is developing a drone surveillance network in Estonia, and the role of Remote ID was illustrated through practical examples. Under certain conditions, Remote ID makes it possible to obtain information about both a drone and its operator, helping to make activity in the airspace more visible.<\/p>\n However, Remote ID does not provide a complete overview of every drone in the air. Visibility may be affected by factors such as the drone\u2019s weight or the type of device.<\/p>\n Kristo Timberg presented the perspective of security companies on drone detection and countermeasures. According to him, before discussing how to counter a drone, it is necessary to determine what is actually being protected and which drones pose a threat. For example, a recreational operator, an inspector or someone with malicious intent could all be flying over the same site.<\/p>\n However, security personnel may have very little time to make a decision. A good sensor alone is therefore not enough: agreed procedures and a clear understanding of when and how to act are also required.<\/p>\n Protecting critical infrastructure depends on both technology and people<\/strong><\/p>\n Karl Kristjan Kits, a representative of Elering, discussed five challenges that must be considered when planning protection against drone threats.<\/p>\n Elering plans to invest nearly \u20ac200 million in protecting the electricity grid and substations over the coming years. Part of this investment will involve developing the capability to counter drones near critical infrastructure when necessary.<\/p>\n One challenge is the rapidly developing market. Companies offer many new solutions, but not all of them are mature products. It is therefore important to choose not merely a technology, but a solution that actually works and meets the identified need.<\/p>\n The same issue was raised during the day\u2019s second panel discussion, which focused on drone operations near critical infrastructure. The panel included representatives from Elering, Tallinn Airport, EANS, the Police and Border Guard Board, and the security sector.<\/p>\n The discussion emphasised that equipment alone is not enough to respond effectively to a critical situation. All parties must understand their roles, information exchange must function effectively, and potential scenarios must be rehearsed in advance.<\/p>\n Research and business can develop solutions together<\/strong><\/p>\n At the end of the day, Helena Nulk-Leemets introduced the Estonian Aviation Academy\u2019s development and collaboration opportunities. The Academy can support companies in situations where solving a particular problem requires the expertise of researchers or engineers.<\/p>\n One example is its collaboration with the start-up VAAL Technologies. Rauno Gordon presented the company\u2019s experience in developing a stratospheric glider drone and working with the Aviation Academy.<\/p>\n The solution being developed by VAAL is designed to fly in the atmosphere, with potential applications ranging from Earth observation and imaging to testing space technologies. The aircraft could also be used to create short periods of weightlessness, allowing space technologies to be tested before they are sent into space.<\/p>\n Collaborations of this kind demonstrate how the expertise of a research institution and the practical needs of a company can lead to new technological solutions.<\/p>\n