Brussels – EU invests an additional 130 million euros in drone technology

The European Commission has decided to add 130 million euros to the funding for drone and counter-drone technologies, as part of efforts to strengthen surveillance and the security of the European Union’s external borders, according to “Euronews”.

The additional funding comes after the Commission had earlier earmarked 250 million euros for the member states, for the purchase of drones and counter-drone systems, their integration into national border surveillance systems and the use of new technologies to confront hybrid threats.

According to the Commission, the 250-million-euro funds can cover up to 90% of the costs of the projects.

The new increase of 130 million euros was decided following high demand and the large number of proposals from the member states.

The European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, said that drones are important not only for the protection of borders, but also for the protection of critical infrastructure.

In addition to this funding, the EU has also made available around 169.6 million euros for unmanned equipment for border surveillance, which can be used by national authorities and by “Frontex”, the European border agency.

With the various funding packages, EU investments in new technologies for border surveillance exceed 500 million euros.

The decision is part of a broader EU approach to drone threats.

In February 2026, the Commission presented an action plan to improve the detection, tracking and identification of drones, and to strengthen the systems against them.