00:00Start-ups and young entrepreneurs are producing more and more combat drones and flying objects
00:09for surveillance. This one is called a cricket and it picks up injured people from the battlefield.
00:14Military drone production is picking up speed. Falke or Falcon is the name of this copter which
00:25is taking off as a prototype. The production of drones of all kinds is booming in southern Germany.
00:32The Falke can be used in agriculture or by rescue services but its developers have designed it for
00:38use in war such as on the front in Ukraine. It's basically like a falcon which can stop in the air
00:45look for its target and then swoop down and that's a similar concept if you can compare it like that.
00:51The developers of the Falcon copter focus on the flying object's design and material. The innovative
00:59construction achieves speeds of more than 80 kilometers per hour with a range of more than 20
01:04kilometers thanks to its aerodynamic design. The fuselage is made of polypropylene, a very special
01:13material that is highly tough and also floats. I believe that what sets the Falcon apart is the
01:24fact that it's inexpensive and can be mass produced. We don't need small basement workshops to produce
01:30drones. They can roll off the production line in the automotive industry. The material for the drone is
01:40used in the automotive industry as a material for reinforcing bumpers. The drone pioneers are already
01:46working with one auto company. The engineer and his partner are based near Munich, a region where
01:54aircraft construction has a long tradition. The development of drones for the military is a completely
02:00new field and has an industrial base here. The Falca prototypes can be produced quickly in this workshop.
02:10I paid attention to the research suppliers in the area and they're everywhere, really everywhere,
02:16in the villages, the medium-sized companies, that's really great. Our automotive supplier is also not far
02:24from here. He has this art of making foam which is difficult. Just a few kilometers away is the next drone
02:34manufacturer. The company HiCat is already delivering the first drones to the front line in Ukraine.
02:44The drones provide reconnaissance and are almost impossible to take down from the sky.
02:49Even for Russian jammers. Software updates mean that new features are installed at short intervals.
03:02The founder of the company traveled to Kyiv with five friends to deliver food shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine.
03:09Back then we drove from Zhitomir to Kyiv along this road which was later named the road of death and it was
03:20the first time we really experienced what it means to do defense. Defense in the sense of being able to
03:28defend yourself, to defend your country, your friends, your family that you love. And we decided then that we
03:37wanted to help with the know-how we had in our skills. They are software engineers, mechanical engineers and
03:45medical technology technicians. Drones used to be their hobby but now with the Russian war in Ukraine,
03:51their hobby has turned serious. They make a point of only installing components that they can manufacture
03:58themselves. Even the batteries are produced in the workshop. The aim is not to use any components from
04:05China or the United States. The company's own drilling and milling machines cost a lot of money. Banks and
04:15private investors are now prepared to finance them. In the beginning, investments in armaments were still
04:21taboo for many. Three years ago it was still very hard to get money. We went completely through venture
04:28capitalists but now it's different. The subject is socially acceptable. This year we'll raise around 10 million
04:34euros in financing. We have our first orders which makes it all possible. The drone startup has found
04:42a partner in the automotive supplier Joop. The managing director of the company, which has around 1200
04:48employees, can imagine producing drones in large quantities. So far all kinds of components have been
04:55produced for luxury brands. The business owners concerns are growing. Orders have been declining for months
05:02and hundreds of employees have already had to be laid off. Whether producing drone hardware or precision
05:08car parts makes little technical difference. The suppliers can do one thing. Produce in bulk and cheaply.
05:14We're used to manufacturing with high precision in high quality and even in clean rooms. And we're also sworn to secrecy.
05:22We can take these advantages with us for other industries. We know how to manufacture cost effectively.
05:30Threats were long not critical to the Bundeswehr. But with the Russian attack on Ukraine, the military is
05:38starting to see the need for this technology. Not only highly useful for combat missions but also for rescuing the wounded.
05:44This drone from the company Avelius is used to retrieve injured soldiers from the combat zone in an emergency.
05:52Avelius does not have its own factory but works together with many suppliers.
05:56This opens up new market opportunities, such as for this packaging material company.
06:02The packaging is used for civilian purposes, including to ship expensive electronic devices.
06:08In a new department, engineers are developing special containers to carry sensitive equipment for the army.
06:16This box is designed for large drones. The engineers have come up with several ideas for transporting the various types of drones safely in all weathers.
06:26Some transport boxes are fitted with a kind of air conditioning system. This keeps the drones operational.
06:32Civilians have to learn to think like soldiers with these products.
06:38With this case, you're ready for action. There's light in the case at night.
06:42You can have the drone up and running in two simple steps. There's a landing pad on the top shell.
06:47So the drone doesn't get dirty, and you can take off and land it cleanly.
06:55More and more companies in Germany are now working for the arms industry,
06:59but are afraid to go public for fear of foreign sabotage.
07:03In the Ludenscheid region, there are traditionally many companies suited to producing military equipment.
07:09Local politicians are aware of the concerns and fears of business people when it comes to weapons.
07:18There's a discussion going on now. I want to stay with it.
07:21Because it's not about supporting a dictator in an aggressive war of conquest.
07:25It's about protecting a democracy from a dictator and a war of aggression.
07:32And this discussion is actually taking place today.
07:37More and more entrepreneurs are making a conscious decision to enter the defense industry.
07:44On the one hand, there's a lot of money in the industry thanks to the 500 billion euro special fund.
07:50On the other hand, more and more people are realizing that there is a real threat from Russia to democratic countries.
