Two days of discussion and resolve to implement the next steps for urban air mobility
With Urban Air Hamburg 2026, the drone network Windrove and its partners have created a space dominated not by visions, but by experiences, challenges and real solutions. On 10 and 11 February 2026, representatives from politics, administration, security authorities, industry, research and application came together at the Opernloft Hamburg to discuss the future of urban airspace.
The clear conclusion after two intensive days: the technology is here. What is crucial now is regulation, acceptance, cooperation and the will to implement things together.
Day 1: "The future of airspace: safety and resilience"
The first day of the conference focused on safe, coordinated lower airspace. With increasing BVLOS operations, new applications and more and more players, complexity is growing and with it the need for clear structures.
Regulation and U-Space as enablers
In his assessment, Eric Oehlmann, Head of Division LF19 at the Federal Ministry of Transport, made it clear that the regulatory framework should not slow things down, but rather enable them. The planned U-Space Act, which is due to come into force in 2026, was described as an important initial spark for the market.
"All the opportunities are there. Now we have to seize them and take action. As a ministry, we want to make our contribution with regulations that are as flexible as possible," said Oehlmann. U-Space was not seen as an end in itself, but as an incubator for safe, scalable drone applications and as a basis for greater acceptance in society.
BOS-Einsätze und Sichtbarkeit im unteren Luftraum
The panel on safety and rescue highlighted how much lower airspace is changing. Alexander Mois, head of the Bavarian Police's Unmanned Aerial Systems Competence Centre, summed it up: emergency services are no longer alone in the air. Industry, research and service providers are pushing ahead with their own applications. "Many participants simply don't see each other today. This is precisely where the risk lies," said Mois.
The panellists agreed that nationwide UTM structures, shared situational awareness and clear interfaces between authorities are needed to ensure safety even as usage increases.
Matthias Brand added that lessons are learned from every mission, but that these experiences need to be shared more widely. Blueprints and cross-border standards are crucial to avoid having to start from scratch every time.
Drone defence: thinking holistically
Another key topic was drone defence in urban areas. The tenor of all contributions was that drones are neither good nor bad per se. The crucial thing is to detect them early, classify them correctly and respond appropriately.
Sven Steingräber, co-founder of Argus Interception, emphasised that drone defence does not end with detection: "You have to know what's in the air. Only then can you verify, classify and respond in an emergency."
Here, too, it became clear that technical solutions only work in conjunction with clear responsibilities, alarm chains and cross-agency cooperation. Artificial intelligence can provide support, but it cannot replace coordinated processes.
Day 2: "We're taking off – From vision to market"
The second day of the conference focused on the user perspective and concrete implementations.
User panel: Acceptance is key
The user panel made it clear that acceptance varies greatly depending on the field of application. Medical drone transport is met with high approval because its benefits are immediately apparent. In other areas, such as cleaning or logistics applications in urban areas, more explanation, transparency and the active involvement of authorities and the public are needed.
One recurring point: for users, it is not just the aircraft that counts. What is crucial is a reliable overall concept comprising technology, operation, service and contingency strategies.
Logistics and offshore: context is everything
The logistics panel deliberately broke with expectations. Drones are not a universal solution for the last mile in cities. Their added value is particularly evident in places that are difficult to access or where time is a critical factor.
Alexander Baalmann gave an impressive description of how drones are used in offshore wind farms. Spare parts that used to be transported by ship or helicopter can now be delivered faster and more efficiently by drone. "After a short time, the drone was a fully-fledged employee," said Baalmann.
At the same time, it became clear that one size does not fit all. Regulation, environment and use case must be considered together. Early coordination with local authorities and the sharing of experience are crucial.
Real-world laboratories: a new format in high demand
For the first time, Urban Air included a separate session on real-world laboratories with Dr Anna Vogel from BWAI and Freia Muster from the Real-World Laboratories Innovation Portal. The high level of interest and the many questions asked demonstrated how great the need for guidance on regulatory scope is.
It also became clear that existing structures are often still too slow or too complex to enable innovation efficiently.
For Windrove, one thing is certain: this format was not a one-off experiment. Real-world laboratories will continue to play an important role in the future in testing innovation in a controlled manner and putting it into practice. Additional information is available on the Federal Government's Real-world Laboratory Innovation Portal.
Hydrogen and transformation
Looking beyond the context of drones was also part of Urban Air. In the session on hydrogen, it became clear that transformation requires time, patience and close coordination between cities, the federal government, the EU and industry. Hamburg was identified as a central location for infrastructure and real-world laboratories.
Conclusion: People make the difference
A common thread ran through all the panels and discussions over the two days:
Technology alone is not enough. It takes networking, cooperation and the courage to share knowledge.
Or as Jörg Schamuhn put it in his keynote speech: "In a community, giving and taking is part of everyday life. That's exactly what drives us forward."
Urban Air Hamburg 2026 showed how important formats are that enable precisely this kind of exchange. We would like to thank all speakers, participants, partners and supporters for two days full of openness, expertise and genuine discussion.
We look forward to continuing this dialogue!