Last week, Estonia opened its first drone training center, designed for use by both Estonian forces and NATO units. Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur emphasized that realizing the importance of drones on the battlefield was a direct lesson from Ukraine’s fight against russian forces.
Notably, the facility was funded by Luxembourg, according to Defense News. Covering 1,300 square meters (including warehouses and maintenance areas), the project cost approximately $5.7 million.
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The surge in drone use has triggered a boom in training infrastructure across the West, with centers springing up like mushrooms after rain. For example, Denmark recently announced plans to establish a new drone operator training ground. The project will receive about $110 million in funding and aims to educate roughly one hundred operators annually.
Finland is also investing in similar infrastructure, with a particular emphasis on drone testing in harsh Arctic conditions. New laboratories and testing grounds will be built in open-air environments to simulate real-world challenges.
However, the expansion of drone training facilities across Europe faces several recurring issues. These include technical hurdles, confidentiality concerns, securing funding, and obtaining flight operation permits.
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