EDA to Set Up Drone Technology Hubs in Latvia and the Netherlands as Europe Bets Big on Drones

The European Defence Agency plans pilot Drone Technology Hubs in Latvia and the Netherlands, using 2027 exercises to develop common testing methods for drone and counter-drone systems. The proposed locations are Latvia's Selonia training area and Scheveningen in the Netherlands, forming initial nodes in a wider European network. The agency aims to make results more comparable across member states and speed evaluation of systems before military adoption. The October announcement sets out the pilot and exercise plan; it does not indicate that both hubs are already fully operational or that participating armed forces have procured specific drones.