A growing demand from both domestic and international companies seeking to join the drone ecosystem at HCA Airport has led to the airport expanding its business park with four hectares.
Altomax, Thunderstrike and Dedrone.
These are just some of the international drone companies already present at HCA Airport in Southern Denmark – an airport, which in the past 10 years has become a hub for drone development in northern Europe, featuring not only a thriving drone ecosystem, but also state-of-the-art test facilities and a large BVLOS flight zone.
Now, the Danish airport – which also houses the internationally renowned UAS Denmark Test Center, University of Southern Denmark’s UAS Center and the Danish Defense’s Competence Center for drone technology – is in the middle of expanding its area by four hectares in order to accommodate further growth.
“We are experiencing an increasing demand from companies wanting to be part of our ecosystem. Not just Danish companies, but also large, international players within drones, defense and space. The current capacity of the business park is now fully utilized, so this expansion is essential to meet this demand,” explains Hans Okholm Vejrup, CEO of HCA Airport.
Ready for 2025
The four hectares will include plots for offices and hangars, as well as parking spaces and a service road.
HCA Airport will oversee the development of the new areas, while tenants will be responsible for constructing their own buildings. The first constructions are expected to commence as early as the beginning of 2025.
“We are confident that these new facilities will attract both Danish and international companies and research institutions, fostering further growth and new partnerships that will contribute to the development of the drone industry as a whole,” says Michael Larsen, Head of UAS Denmark Test Center.
He adds that tenants can benefit from not just the ecosystem in and around the airport but also the adherent test facilities at the drone test center.
Drones a key focus area for Denmark
Currently, the business park at HCA Airport houses around 25 companies involved in both traditional aviation and UAS technologies. That number is expected to grow in the coming years with heavy investments being channeled into for instance drones for defense and counter drone-technologies.
This also applies in Denmark. Drones and unmanned systems are a part of the Danish National Defence Industrial Strategy, just as Denmark has joined an international drone coalition to help Ukraine.
“Drones are a key strategic focus area for Denmark, and we are very happy to be a central part of that development,” explains Michael Larsen.
