EU drone funding is increasing by EUR 130 million as the European Commission expands its use of technology for border surveillance and counter-drone security.
The additional money was announced during a meeting of EU justice and home affairs ministers in Luxembourg, where migration, border controls and security were among the main issues under discussion. The move adds to a wider European effort to improve the monitoring of the bloc’s external borders and protect critical infrastructure from emerging security threats.
European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner said drones have become an important part of the EU’s approach to border protection as well as the protection of critical infrastructure. He said the decision to increase the funding followed strong demand from member states and the quality of proposals submitted under the existing programme.
The new funding builds on the European Commission’s February action plan on drone and counter-drone security. The plan included a EUR 250 million call for member states to strengthen land and maritime border surveillance. Funding can cover up to 90 percent of eligible project costs, including drones, counter-drone systems, their integration into national surveillance networks and other technologies intended to address hybrid threats.
The Commission’s broader drone strategy is not limited to buying aircraft. Its February plan also calls for stronger detection and tracking systems, better coordination between member states and improved responses to malicious drone activity. It proposes the development of systems that can combine information from different sources to identify drones and distinguish authorised flights from potential threats.
The plan also includes work on 5G-based drone detection, artificial intelligence-supported systems and a proposed European counter-drone centre of excellence. The Commission has said member states remain primarily responsible for responding to drone threats, but that EU-level cooperation can help them develop compatible systems and respond more effectively when incidents cross borders.
The additional EUR 130 million comes alongside separate EU funding for unmanned equipment used in border surveillance. The Border Management and Visa Instrument has made around EUR 169.6 million available for such equipment at national level and for equipment to be placed at the disposal of Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. A further EUR 250 million has been allocated for drones and counter-drone systems.
Taken together, the different funding measures put more than EUR 500 million into newer technologies for border surveillance and drone-related security. The investment reflects the growing role of unmanned systems in how the EU monitors its external borders and responds to security risks.
The funding increase comes as the EU continues to reconsider how its border agency, Frontex, should operate. The Commission’s February action plan already called for greater use of drones by Frontex in enhanced border-surveillance operations, including joint operations, pilot projects and demonstrations of drone and counter-drone technology.
Frontex’s wider role is also expected to be examined as the EU reviews its approach to crisis management and emerging hybrid threats. The agency’s future responsibilities are part of a broader debate over how much capacity the EU and its member states should have to monitor and manage pressure at the bloc’s external borders.
The discussion is taking place alongside wider changes to EU migration policy. On 1 October, the Council adopted new rules aimed at making returns of people without a legal right to remain in the EU more effective. The rules include a European Return Order and require people subject to return decisions to leave the member state concerned and cooperate with authorities.
Migration and border management are also expected to feature prominently at the European Council meeting scheduled for 15 and 16 October. EU leaders will have an opportunity to discuss the bloc’s broader approach as governments continue working on border control, migration management and internal security.
The expansion of drone funding therefore forms part of a larger shift in the EU’s border policy, where surveillance technology, unmanned systems and shared security capabilities are becoming increasingly important alongside traditional border infrastructure and personnel. The Commission’s February action plan describes the approach as a coordinated effort involving member states, EU agencies and industry rather than a single technology programme.
