Overview
- The European Commission opened applications Tuesday for companies to become founding members of a new EU‑Ukraine Drone Alliance.
- Applications run until May 25, 2026, and selected applicants will form the alliance’s first governing board.
- The initiative is industry-led and will bring together manufacturers, startups, innovators, and end users from the EU, EEA/EFTA states, and Ukraine.
- The alliance aims to develop advanced drone and counter-drone technology and to build a coordinated European capability tied to the Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030 and the Commission’s counter‑drone plan.
- The Commission says the move responds to recent drone incursions into EU airspace, with operations expected to start in the coming months.