Counter-UAS for critical infrastructure: EKO Cobra, ORF, Frequentis and Red Bull Ring at DroneVation

When it comes to protecting critical infrastructure, civil security and military defence are becoming ever harder to separate. Which lessons Europe must draw from the war in Ukraine and why Austria is now working on a national counter-UAS strategy were the subject of a discussion at the “DroneVation & Defence 2026” symposium in Vienna. The panel included representatives of EKO Cobra, ORF, Frequentis and the Red Bull Ring as well as international security experts.

Christian Kunstmann of the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior moderated the session. He was joined by Chief Inspector Thomas Vahrner (EKO Cobra), security expert Markus Piendl, ORF correspondent Christian Wehrschütz, Andreas-Anoar Adomeit of Frequentis and Jakob Berger of the Red Bull Ring. The central question was where civil and military threat scenarios increasingly overlap – and why critical infrastructure can no longer be protected today without countering drones.

Whole-of-government strategy in the works

For Austria, the issue is no longer a question of the future, as Chief Inspector Thomas Vahrner made clear. EKO Cobra has been using drones in operations since 2008 and has been working intensively on countering them for twelve years.

An interministerial working group is currently drafting a whole-of-government counter-drone strategy. It involves the ministries of the interior, defence, transport and economic affairs, as well as operators of critical infrastructure. The aims are new technical concepts, organisational adjustments and – above all – changes to legislation.

We are currently working on a whole-of-government counter-drone strategy— Thomas Vahrner, EKO Cobra

In his words, operators of critical infrastructure should in future be able to protect their facilities themselves much better. To put detection and defeat on a sound legal footing, amendments to the Aviation Act and the Telecommunications Act are needed at the same time.

Counter-UAS at the ESC: 22 drones detected, two interventions

Vahrner illustrated how relevant the topic already is with the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna. Several venues were secured from the air by Cobra together with other forces.

22 drones were detected, and countermeasures were required twice. There was no concrete threat, but the operation highlighted the difficulty: in a civilian environment, harmless recreational pilots constantly have to be distinguished from potential attackers.

It is even more complex at major events such as the Hahnenkamm race or Formula 1. There, drones operated by police, media and organisers share the airspace with helicopters. Distinguishing between “good” and “bad” is one of the greatest challenges of modern counter-UAS.

Red Bull Ring: tourists are often the bigger problem

Jakob Berger, Manager Safety, Security & Events at the Red Bull Ring, made it clear that risks do not come only from hostile drones.

Security thinking in international motorsport has changed fundamentally since Houthi rebels attacked an Aramco facility near the Formula 1 race in Saudi Arabia. In Spielberg, however, quite different aircraft are often the cause for concern.

Numerous visitors launch their private camera drones from campsites or the surrounding hills to capture spectacular footage. They are unaware that they are entering highly sensitive airspace. During a Grand Prix, TV helicopters, broadcasting drones, the police and many VIP flights are all in the air there at the same time.

That is why we rely on a combination of different sensors – from RF detection to radar to cameras. There is currently no single solution for everything— Jakob Berger, Red Bull Ring

Piendl: early detection matters more than defeat

Markus Piendl set a notable accent. The German security expert helped develop security concepts for, among other things, the 2024 European Football Championship in Germany. From more than a decade of practice, he drew one conclusion above all: the hardest part is not taking down a drone, but detecting it early enough.

With a wink, he summed it up in the formula “Less Hollywood is more Hollywood”. The real art lies in locating the pilot, analysing flight patterns and evaluating data intelligently. To do so, radar, radio-frequency detection, cameras as well as audio and Remote ID systems have to converge in a common operational picture.

This cannot be achieved with a single sensor. What makes the difference is how intelligently different technologies are combined.

Frequentis: all stakeholders on one operational picture

Andreas-Anoar Adomeit of Frequentis also argued for a holistic approach. The former Bundeswehr soldier recalled that only a few years ago, drones on deployments abroad were in some cases still classified using simple identification cards. Today, by contrast, the task is to bundle civil, governmental and military information in a common digital operational picture.

In future, police, the military and operators of critical infrastructure must all be able to access the same information so that they can respond quickly and in a coordinated way. Modern Uncrewed Traffic Management (UTM) plays a role here, as do automated systems that monitor large areas.

Christian Wehrschütz: drones as a personal threat to life

The debate became particularly compelling when ORF correspondent Christian Wehrschütz reported on his experiences in Ukraine (-> Christian Wehrschütz: “Better to get up earlier than to be dead earlier”).

For his team, critical infrastructure has long encompassed more than power supply or communication networks. In Ukraine, ORF itself is now also classed as infrastructure vital to the war effort – this is intended to protect staff from conscription and keep broadcasting operations running.

Above all, however, drones pose an immediate threat to life. Wehrschütz reported on an attack in November of last year: during an evacuation drive near the front, his team was attacked by a fibre-optic-guided first-person view (FPV) drone carrying an anti-tank weapon. Only seconds decided between life and death. In such a situation, journalists have no way of actively defending themselves.

For us, the drone is a real, very personal threat— Christian Wehrschütz, ORF

More networking, fewer isolated solutions

At the end of the panel, all participants agreed that legislation and procurement processes are not keeping pace with technological development.

The key lesson is therefore not to buy new defence systems as quickly as possible. Rather, authorities, operators of critical infrastructure, industry and research should move closer together – only then can new threats be detected early and countered effectively.

Moderator Christian Kunstmann concluded as follows:

Information, exchange and networking between authorities, companies and experts are more important today than ever.— Christian Kunstmann, Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior