Estonia sets ambitious goal to become leading drone nation by 2030

Estonia is charting an ambitious course to become a global leader in drone technology by 2030. The government unveiled a comprehensive roadmap designed to foster innovation while ensuring national security.

The core of the strategy lies in bringing together public and private sectors to establish clear rules for drone operations. This delicate balance aims to allow businesses the freedom to develop new solutions, such as monitoring forests and power lines, or assisting in rescue operations, while simultaneously protecting the country from potential drone-related threats.

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The bill clarifies the roles of the police and the defense forces and how they exchange information. What is new is that providers of vital services, such as large infrastructure companies, will also be given the opportunity to protect their sites from drone threats.

Prime Minister Kristen Michal highlighted that crucial legislation, currently in its second reading in parliament, will define the roles and responsibilities for defending Estonia's airspace. This includes clarifying information exchange between the police and the defense forces. Significantly, the new framework will empower vital service providers, like major infrastructure companies, to actively defend their facilities against hostile drones. This could involve security teams being authorized to physically neutralize unauthorized drones.

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From a domestic security and defense perspective, the ideal scenario is that nothing flies, because every flying object is a risk. But the economic interest is the opposite – that drones can fly as much as possible and offer services from forest mass monitoring to power line inspection and rescue operations.

Michal acknowledged the inherent tension between security and economic interests. "From a domestic security and defense perspective, the ideal scenario is that nothing flies, because every flying object is a risk," he told Postimees. "But the economic interest is the opposite – that drones can fly as much as possible and offer services from forest mass monitoring to power line inspection and rescue operations."

The roadmap emphasizes the need for rapid progress, with the legal framework expected to be adopted soon and new production facilities to emerge in the coming years, rather than by the 2030 target. Michal envisions Estonia developing a robust defense industry that leverages artificial intelligence and stays abreast of rapidly evolving technology, a lesson underscored by the swift pace of development seen in the conflict in Ukraine.

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The legislative part should be adopted already around next week. New productions should emerge in the coming years, not in 2030.