IZEDD: New Center for Drones and Counter-Drone Systems in Karlsruhe

As a founding partner, wbk contributes its production expertise and surveys which technologies and competencies already exist in Baden-Württemberg's industry.

The wbk Institute of Production Science, the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT are jointly founding the Innovation and Transfer Center for Drones and Counter-Drone Systems (IZEDD). On October 7, 2026, Baden-Württemberg's Minister of Economic Affairs, Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, presented the funding notice to the three partners at the state parliament in Stuttgart. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Fleischer attended on behalf of wbk. The state is funding the start-up phase with around €300,000.

IZEDD is intended to bring together research, industry, authorities, and users. The partners will jointly develop projects there and aim to implement new solutions in a practice-oriented way. By the end of the year, they will establish the technical and organizational foundations and select the first use cases.

wbk is responsible for the overview of technologies and competencies: it records what know-how and technology exist in German industry and academia, how solutions can emerge from them, and where gaps remain. This covers flight platforms, energy supply, and propulsion systems, as well as sensors, software, communication, and drone detection and defense. One focus of wbk is the development of a competency toolkit for drones and counter-drone systems. To this end, the institute contributes its experience with changeable production systems, flexible automation, and digital twins.

On October 8, around 80 participants from companies, ministries, the police, the State Military Command, and research institutions came to the kick-off event at the Karlsruhe Research Factory. To open, the partners presented the vision and mission of IZEDD. Contributions from MAHLE and Airbus Defence and Space then added the industry perspective. After that, the group got straight to work: in a workshop, participants gathered needs and possible focus areas, on which IZEDD's competency toolkit is now based. SWR was also on site; its reports can be seen on SWR Landesschau and on Tagesschau.

Anyone who uses, offers, or conducts research on drone technology can get involved by contacting izedd∂iosb.fraunhofer.de.