On Tuesday, November 18, the University of Defense Club in Brno hosted a workshop organized by the University of Defense's Center for Security and Military-Strategic Studies, dedicated to the potential of Czech industry in the production of dual-use drones. The aim of the meeting was to bring together representatives of the army, state administration, academia, and industry, share experiences from Ukraine, and seek ways to transform Czech know-how into real capabilities for the Czech Army as quickly as possible.

The Center for Security and Military-Strategic Studies at the University of Defense invited the president of the Association of Defense and Security Industry of the Czech Republic (AOBP), RNDr. Jiří Hynek, the director of the Intelligence Security Section of the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic, Brigadier General Roman Hyťha, Ing. Jiří Bednář from the Defense Policy and Strategy Section of the Ministry of Defense, Mgr. Michal Rendla, Deputy Director General of the Industrial Cooperation Section of the Ministry of Defense, entrepreneur Tomáš Jelínek (FlyinDiamonds, UAV Technology Park), and Col. doc. Ing. Josef Bajer, Ph.D., from the University of Defense. The program combined an introductory keynote speech, short contributions from panelists, and a concluding discussion on the Czech dual-use drone ecosystem.

In his opening speech, Col. Aleš Tesař from CBVSS reminded the audience that the aim of the event was not to respond to the "drone craze," but to apply the experience gained in Ukraine to the long-term development of the Czech Armed Forces' capabilities. According to him, it is precisely the connection between the military, industry, and academia that makes it possible to realistically assess which capabilities it makes sense to build at home and where, on the contrary, international cooperation is appropriate.

In his speech, AOBP President Jiří Hynek emphasized that drones are one of the key factors for success on the battlefield today. "The use of unmanned aerial vehicles, especially in the war in Ukraine, where they are credited with up to 80 percent success, is not a fashionable trend. It is reality," said Hynek, who believes that the future belongs to drone swarms, autonomous systems, and artificial intelligence—with the aim of maximizing the protection of soldiers' lives. According to the AOBP president, Czech industry is capable of covering a wide range of capabilities—from FPV drones to components for strategic platforms. However, mass production remains a major challenge. "Europe's Achilles heel today is its industrial base. If we don't change that, we will hardly be able to produce as much technology as will be needed in a real conflict," warned Hynek.

Brigadier General Roman Hyťha then presented the army's perspective and its experiences in Ukraine to date. "Ukraine has opened our eyes in terms of our capabilities and where we really stand when faced with a state actor, in our case Russia," said the general, recalling the close cooperation with Ukrainian partners who are gathering valuable insights across the front lines. According to the knowledge gained, not all solutions declared to be cutting-edge subsequently proved themselves in combat. In his speech, the general also pointed out that it is not only important to launch a drone, but also to have the entire chain under control – from production to service – and warned against believing in simple anti-drone solutions. It is a complex change in tactics, infrastructure, and approach.

Michal Rendla from the Ministry of Defense's Industrial Cooperation Section pointed out that Czechia has a number of strong companies in the field of unmanned and anti-drone solutions – from manufacturers of airframes, engines, and avionics to communication systems. "On the industry side, I don't see a fundamental problem in meeting the technical requirements. The challenge is rather to align these capabilities with the needs of the military and the state's acquisition processes," said Rendla, who then presented individual support tools, such as economic diplomacy projects, the European Defense Fund, the NATO DIANA accelerator, and industry days and experimental exercises. At the same time, he openly acknowledged the limitations of the traditional defense research and development system and the need to speed up processes.

During his speech, entrepreneur Tomáš Jelínek (FlyinDiamonds, UAV Technology Park), representing various companies, emphasized that the military and industry are on the same side: "If we do not cooperate, we will not support the defense capabilities of the Czech Republic or the entire alliance." He presented UAV Technology Park as a platform for rapid development, testing, and modification of drone solutions with open cooperation for the military, academia, and companies. He also pointed out the breadth of drone platforms and the speed of innovation, emphasizing that without long-term and predictable demand from the state, domestic industry will struggle to "breathe." "If we don't manufacture drones and components in the Czech Republic, we won't learn how to improve them," warned Jelínek, identifying, among other things, reducing dependence on Chinese solutions and building backup capacities in peacetime as key factors.

Colonel Josef Bajer from the Faculty of Military Technology at the University of Defense then presented the role of the university as a "bridge" between the army, industry, and research, and recalled the three pillars of the University of Defense: education, science and research, and expert support for the Czech Armed Forces. He further emphasized that the university does not want to compete with industry, but to be its expert partner: "Our role is to verify whether the equipment actually does what it is supposed to do and whether the declared properties are not in conflict with physical reality." In the field of research, the university participates in projects of the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Industry and Trade, and Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, focusing on, among other things, system autonomy, communication, navigation, swarm control, and military testing methods.

The final panel discussion focused on how to connect the military, industry, and academia in order to develop specific capabilities for the Czech Armed Forces in the field of dual-use drones. There were repeated calls for shortening the path from prototype to deployment, building domestic production capacity, and not being afraid of controlled risk without compromising safety standards. Representatives of the military and companies emphasized the need for long-term, predictable, ideally guaranteed contracts that would enable industry to invest in development, people, and production.

Another important topic was the need to change legislation and procurement rules so that the state can respond more flexibly to rapid technological changes than it has done so far. All those present agreed on one thing: the Czech Republic has a mature industry, growing research capacities, and unique access to combat experience. The key challenge for the coming years will be to transform all these prerequisites into drones and systems that will be available to Czech soldiers in sufficient quantities, in a timely manner, and in an environment with clear and long-term conditions for cooperation.

Our editorial team then asked Jiří Hynek, Michal Rendl, and Brigadier General Roman Hyťh the following questions:

1) Does Czech industry, with what it offers in terms of dual-use products, have the potential for use in the military or defense industry?

2) What should cooperation between dual-use companies and the military look like?

Michal Rendla

1) Definitely, especially in a situation where most advanced technologies—whether we are talking about AI, chips, cloud and quantum technologies, robotics, and many others used by the armed forces—originate in the civilian sector or have dual-use applications. It is important to realize that, unlike in the past, small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups from the civilian sector are currently the driving force behind innovation in defense. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine, for example, has given us a completely new perspective on the use of drone technology, even at the tactical level. We have witnessed and continue to witness situations where commercial FPV drones costing a few thousand euros at most compete with technologies and systems that are many times more expensive (e.g., air defense or tanks). The Czech Republic is one of the most industrialized countries in the world, capable of producing a range of advanced technologies. The Czech Republic has sufficient academic capacity for research and development, e.g., in the field of unmanned vehicles, space technologies, cyber solutions, communication technologies, and others. Czech companies have know-how in manufacturing, and a number of Czech companies already supply their solutions to the armed forces of NATO, the EU, Ukraine, and other territories. There is also extensive cooperation with foreign companies, for example in the production of composite materials and the creation of software for unmanned systems.

2) First, it is essential to note that civil society organizations and dual-use companies interested in cooperating with the Czech Armed Forces often lack basic experience with what it means to trade or do business in the field of military equipment and supplies for the armed forces. For this reason, it is essential to acquire this basic experience and information. In this context, the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic organizes a series of informational meetings with industry, which are often coordinated with industry associations, where companies from these areas can obtain basic information to quickly orient themselves in the environment. Another advantage of these seminars is that the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic presents opportunities for industry to actively participate. These typically include EU initiatives (e.g., the European Defense Fund or the European Industry Program) and NATO initiatives (primarily NATO DIANA) or national defense research and development programs (Zdokonalení or PRODEF). A brief manual for basic orientation is also available on the website of the Industrial Cooperation Section of the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic. If we touch on the past workshop, unmanned vehicles are, of course, a significant topic. Within the framework of the so-called Drone Shield exercise, the Czech Armed Forces have repeatedly shown that they are interested in various forms of testing products from domestic and foreign industries. During these events, the Czech Armed Forces obtain specific information about the available solutions, and companies, in turn, receive invaluable feedback on their technologies. This "synergy" can then contribute to Czech industry implementing projects that are of genuine interest to the Czech Armed Forces. Conversely, the ACR will include realistic requirements for the capabilities in demand in its specifications.

If I had to summarize effective cooperation, it would primarily involve establishing effective dialogue and actively involving industry in available opportunities, with an emphasis on the trend toward joint European projects, starting from the research and development phase.

brig. gen. Roman Hyťha

1) Czech industry certainly has the potential to supply solutions and resources to the Czech Armed Forces. In my field, these could include various sensor solutions, electro-optical equipment, and detectors for electromagnetic warfare. For drones and long-range weapons, these include components such as engines, airframes, and technical and software solutions. And, above all, complete solutions, drones with AI elements and capabilities ranging from terrain mapping to logistical resupply. On the ground and in the air.

2) In the near future, we simply must establish the closest possible links between companies and the military for certain military systems. This does not mean links to sales departments, but to specialists who will help the military to continuously adapt the equipment produced to the current needs on the battlefield. In this context, this may involve minor modifications to technical solutions, software, and artificial intelligence. Coincidentally, and based on experience, this highlights the importance of Czech companies and Czech solutions. Be self-sufficient and flexible.

Jiří Hynek

1) I am convinced that the Czech Republic has enormous potential in the area of dual-use technologies. The introduction of new technologies into the armed forces provides an opportunity to gain superiority over potential adversaries without having to massively increase the number of soldiers. Not to mention the so-called disruptive technologies, which include drones, robotic autonomous systems, advanced materials, quantum and space technologies, biotechnology, and other products that can radically change warfare. This is a huge opportunity for smaller companies with innovative potential, startups, development centers, and universities. The possibility of gaining superiority while saving the lives of our own soldiers will be the driving force for the next ten years.

2) Cooperation must be much more intensive than it has been so far. Developers and designers must be in daily contact with experienced and knowledgeable soldiers. Industry cannot develop things without feedback from users. At the same time, soldiers must know what new modern technologies exist or may exist. I know that in the fight against corruption, such communication may seem risky. But anyone familiar with the issue knows that corruption has a completely different breeding ground. The armed forces and the defense industry contribute equally to building defense capabilities. If there is no change in the perception of cooperation between them, then our defense capabilities will not increase.