Looking back at the the 6th UAV Flight Test Convention in Cochstedt
December 16, 2025
Looking back at the the 6th UAV Flight Test Convention in Cochstedt
Panel discussion “Regulatory environment and future perspectives for UAV flight testing” with (from left to right) Jean Daniel Sülberg (Head of the National Test Center), Gunnar Haase (Airbus ProtoSpace), Holger Friehmelt (FH JOANNEUM & AIRlabs Austria), Michael Wieland (UAV-DACH), and Tobias Münch (German Federal Aviation Authority)
The DLR National Experimental Test Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Cochstedt was once again the venue for the UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) Flight Test Convention (FTC) this year, following on from 2024.
The sixth edition of the event, which was organized this year in collaboration with partners from Airbus ProtoSpace and the Technical University of Munich, attracted over 150 aviation enthusiasts from all over Europe to Cochstedt on October 29 and 30, 2025.
In 2026, the UAV Flight Test Convention will take place in Graz, Austria.
Diverse perspectives from science, business, and administration
A student from Graz presents her own gesture-controlled drone.
Both days of the 6th Flight Test Convention were once again framed by exciting presentations on current research topics and practical projects. This year, the program featured several contributions from students in particular. For example, students from Berlin presented an interdisciplinary university project in which they are developing an unmanned aircraft for the early detection of forest fires. Representatives from Graz reported on their experiences from a university project in which drones were used in a research expedition in the Arctic to support measurements of environmental and climate data.
In addition to the presentation of innovative flight system concepts (such as DLR's PROTEUS), the technical discussion focused on the regulatory aspects of testing unmanned aircraft. During a panel discussion, representatives from science, industry, and government not only identified challenges, but also explicitly discussed future regulatory prospects for the safe and efficient testing of unmanned aircraft systems.
Flight demonstrations and airport tour
This year's Flight Test Convention in Cochstedt was once again distinguished by the fact that, in addition to theoretical input, practical flight demonstrations were also made possible on site. In addition, all participants had the opportunity to demonstrate their skills as drone pilots in the “Drone Obstacle Race.” Finally, a guided tour of the Magdeburg-Cochstedt Airport grounds was another highlight for all aviation enthusiasts.
Despite difficult weather conditions, aircraft were once again demonstrated in Cochstedt at this year's FTC.
The date and venue for the 7th FTC have already been set
As part of this year's Flight Test Convention, a vote was held in keeping with tradition to decide which institution would organize the next edition of the event. In 2026, the FTC will primarily be hosted by FH JOANNEUM and AIRlabs Austria in Graz (Austria), with additional program items and flight demonstrations taking place in Winterthur (Switzerland – LINA project/ZHAW) and Leck (Germany, KDS-DroneTec Project) and will be livestreamed for visitors in Graz. The 7th UAV FTC will take place on September 23 and 24, 2026.
A popular format
The UAV Flight Test Convention has been held annually since 2019 by different institutions and organizations (the 2020 event was canceled due to COVID-19), with the number of participants steadily increasing in recent years. Previous organizers have included the Center for Applied Aviation Research Hamburg together with Airbus, the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, the Institute of Aircraft Systems Engineering at the Technical University of Hamburg, Delft University of Technology, and the DLR facility Technologies for Small Aircraft together with the National Experimental Test Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
The UAV Flight Test Convention is not a “classic” high-profile scientific conference. Rather, the focus is on the uncomplicated and low-threshold exchange of experiences between players within the flight test ecosystem.
