The European Commission is set to review the Drone Strategy 2.0 this year, to assess progress since its adoption in 2022 and identify possible adjustments or additional measures for the development of the EU’s drone market. To support this work and reflect developments in the sector, the Commission is revising the mandate of its Expert Group on drones and launching a call for new members.

The group will be renamed the Expert Group on drones and innovative air mobility. Its mandate will be expanded to improve stakeholder participation, allow the creation of sub-groups and adapt working methods in line with the Commission’s expert group rules. The group will support the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) in preparing policy initiatives, strengthening cooperation between the Commission, Member States, EU bodies and stakeholders, and sharing best practices for the safe, secure and sustainable development of the sector. The Commission encourages especially private sector stakeholders to apply, to add new members to the current composition.

  • The call for applications is open, and DG MOVE will assess applications on a rolling basis. The first evaluation round will take place in June 2026 and then annually. Applications for the first round must be submitted by 9 June 2026 at 16:00 CET.
  • Current member organisations are also invited to confirm their interest in continuing by 9 June 2026 at 16:00 CET. Membership will be renewed upon confirmation. Organizations that do not reply by the deadline will be considered to have withdrawn from the group.

Background

The Commission created the Expert Group on Drones in 2017 to support the development of the European drone services market. Since then, the EU has established a comprehensive regulatory and policy framework for drones, while the sector has expanded beyond traditional operations.

For more information

Continuously open call for applications

Terms of reference

Rules of procedure