BRANDENBURG AN DER HAVEL (dpa-AFX) - Printing press manufacturer Heidelberg is entering the drone defense market to protect critical infrastructure. Brandenburg State Premier Dietmar Woidke (SPD) is scheduled to visit the Brandenburg an der Havel site this afternoon to learn more about the project.
The initiative involves a new joint venture between a subsidiary of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG and the US-Israeli technology provider Ondas Autonomous Systems. According to Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, the Brandenburg an der Havel facility is set to be expanded into a leading center of excellence for drone defense and autonomous security systems.
Drone defense efforts are primarily focused on airports, Bundeswehr sites, and energy providers. According to the German government, drone sightings at key facilities in Germany have increased since the start of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.
Recently, drones in the airspace have posed security risks at locations such as Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). Defense systems are designed to neutralize unmanned aerial vehicles that take off without authorization for purposes such as espionage or sabotage./mow/DP/zb
