From supporting act to main character – in two years

The Chancellor was Olaf Scholz, and Lilium was the largest exhibitor in the UAS and AAM industry. While it may sound quite distant, the differences in uncrewed aviation between ILA 2024 and ILA 2026 are by far more significant. Driven particularly – though not solely – by military use cases, unmanned aviation has transitioned from a supporting act to a main character at the International Aerospace Exhibition in Berlin.

From an exotic option to an interesting niche to an established technology, the journey of uncrewed systems across various aspects of our everyday life is evident in many places. For instance, in surveying and construction, where drones were discovered as an exciting perspective a few years ago and are now being used as a matter of course. At the International Aerospace Exhibition 2026, the importance of uncrewed aerial systems has increased significantly compared to previous years. This has also led to a growing acceptance of their essential role. It’s not solely due to the sheer number of exhibitors from the UAS industry present compared to 2024. Instead, it’s more about the increased visibility, attention, and the routine with which drones and related topics are discussed in Berlin.

Scalable drone production

It is not surprising that visibility in the defense and dual-use sector is the highest. However, the enormous significance is evident in other fields as well. In the supplier area, potential customers from the drone economy, who were once seen as a welcome „bycatch“, are now actively targeted with offers such as servos for uncrewed systems, 3D printing for UAS development, or services for scalable drone production. With the Drone Pavilion, uncrewed aviation has also found a dedicated home at the International Aerospace Exhibition. Alongside a small stage for presentations and talk formats, the indoor flight area („cage“) occupies the largest space. There, companies can showcase their products, and the Dronemasters team from Berlin provides opportunities to experience drone flying firsthand. This is a sensible and forward-looking addition to the ILA program, as issues of training and qualification for current and future workforce members are essential challenges for the UxS industry – and ultimately for the entire aerospace sector.

The Primoco One 150 is one of the most commonly used long-range drones in Europe

While the Drone Pavilion is still somewhat on the edge of the ILA grounds, uncrewed systems have truly arrived at the center of attention. For example, the German Heron TP of the Bundeswehr is not the only one included in the flying display. Alongside the Eurofighter, transport aircraft Airbus A400M, and combat helicopter EC665 Tiger, systems such as Primoco One 150, Quantum Vector AI, Jet1 from JetDrones, and QX 2.0 from Twentyfour Industries are also being demonstrated in flight as a matter of course.

New projects presented

Speaking of being in the thick of things. At the central ILA Plaza between the exhibition halls and the temporarily erected chalets, Helsing, Quantum Systems, and ERC Systems are prominently showcasing their presence. In addition to advertising space, all three companies are using the ILA to present new projects that sit at the intersection of manned and unmanned aviation. The hybrid-electric heavy-lift drone „Victor U250“ from ERC Systems is designed as a dual-use platform that covers both military logistics tasks and civil missions in disaster relief or offshore logistics. The next variant of the CA-1 platform, publicly showcased for the first time by Helsing, is named CA-1 EA (Electronic Attack). The EA version is expected to be operational in about five years and can autonomously locate and disrupt enemy air defense systems, allowing crewed and uncrewed combat and reconnaissance systems to follow in its „slipstream“. This exciting project was explained to Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) during his guided tour by Gundbert Scherf, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Helsing.

During his guided tour of the ILA, Chancellor Friedrich Merz also stopped by the Helsing booth

Just a few meters away, the Chancellor even took an active role. At Quantum Systems, he was involved in presenting the latest project, which the two CEOs, Florian Seibel and Sven Kruck, aim to launch in record time: first flight in one year and delivery to the first customers as early as 2028. The Pulse P19 platform, unveiled by Friedrich Merz, is a versatile flight system designed for both crewed and uncrewed operations. While it is fundamentally capable of being armed, it is primarily intended for identifying and defending against adversarial UAS swarms. It will enable the transport of several interceptor drones that can be deployed against detected attacking UAS. The involvement of not only Chancellor Merz but also Federal Minister of Transport Patrick Schnieder (CDU) and BDLI Executive Director Marie-Christine von Hahn at the product presentation underscores the intense focus on uncrewed and automated systems from politics, industry, and the military.

Cooperation agreements and Letters of Intent

However, not only UAS but also many companies in the drone economy are definitely on the radar of the traditional aerospace industry. Moreover, the opportunity to benefit from their technologies and development speeds is evidently very attractive. In the early days of ILA 2026, there has been a flurry of announcements about cooperation agreements and letters of intent involving UAS/AAM companies. For instance, Tytan Technologies and Mercedes-Benz signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the presence of Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Katherina Reiche (CDU) to jointly develop a mobile drone defense system.

The heavy-lift drone „Victor“ from ERC Systems is designed for both military and civil logistic applications

This is just one of several examples that fit into a series of similar initiatives and projects from the past months, further emphasizing that uncrewed systems in the aerospace sector have moved from a supporting act to a main character.