From Prototype to Arsenal
Europe is entering a new phase of defense innovation: the challenge is no longer building drones — it is producing them at scale.
Current conflicts have demonstrated that strategic advantage depends on the ability to deploy millions of drones, not thousands. Yet today, most production remains stuck in pre-series stages, constrained by fragmented supply chains and limited industrial capacity.
This event brings together leaders from automotive, defense, manufacturing, and venture to answer one core question:
How can Europe industrialize drone production using automotive principles?
The automotive industry offers a proven blueprint for high-volume, cost-efficient manufacturing, while Europe urgently needs sovereign, localized supply chains to reduce external dependencies. At the same time, the dual-use nature of drone components unlocks significant opportunities to drive down costs through shared civil and defense demand.
We focus on practical pathways to scale: platform strategies, modular design, supply chain localization, and leveraging existing industrial capabilities. We will explore key components, including motors, batteries, electronics, materials, and optics, as well as concrete business models and market entry points for automotive suppliers and new players.
The event is designed for executives, engineers, supply chain experts, investors, and policymakers shaping Europe’s industrial base.
Agenda (10:00 – 17:00)
10:00 – 10:30 | Arrival & Coffee
Informal networking and participant onboarding
10:30 – 11:00 | Opening Keynote
The Industrial Gap in European Drone Production
Current state: from battlefield demand to industrial reality
Why scaling is the defining challenge of this decade
11:00 – 12:00 | Session 1 — From Prototype to Millions Scaling Drone Production
Lessons from Ukraine and real-world deployment
Transition from R&D to industrial manufacturing
Bottlenecks: components, suppliers, assembly
12:00 – 13:00 | Session 2 — Automotive Meets Defense
Applying Automotive Principles
Platform strategy & modular architectures
Common parts and cost reduction
Quality, testing, and production standards
13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch & Networking
14:00 – 15:00 | Session 3 — Components & Supply Chain Building the Industrial Stack
Batteries, motors, electronics, optics
Rare-earth-free systems and EU sourcing
Localizing supply chains for resilience
15:00 – 16:00 | Panel Discussion “From Hype to Industrial Reality”
Can Europe build drone production at scale?
Role of automotive suppliers
Regulatory, financing, and export challenges
16:00 – 16:30 | Closing & Call to Action: What Needs to Happen Next
Concrete next steps for industry collaboration
Building partnerships across sectors
17:00 | End (Optional Informal Networking)