Finnish network equipment manufacturer Nokia has announced that over 42 companies have banded together to develop a drone defense mechanism named PROACTIF, aimed at strengthening infrastructure resilience across Europe.

This initiative clearly correlates with the recent developments in the Ukraine-Russia conflict and the anticipated increase in automated drone attacks, highlighting the need for Europe to ensure the proper functioning of critical infrastructure in the face of potential threats.

The PROACTIF drone defense mechanism is funded by the EU's Chips Joint Undertaking program, with the objective of enhancing the resilience of European infrastructure and promoting the development of the drone and robotics industries, expecting to generate around €90 million in revenue by 2035 and to spawn approximately 50 application products and 15 new patents.

Additionally, this mechanism is expected to result in dozens of new collaborations and hundreds of new job opportunities, attracting over €40 million in additional investments. Currently, Nokia will lead this initiative, collaborating with 42 tech companies from 13 different countries, including NVIDIA, French defense giant Safran, and Italian multinational Leonardo S.p.A.

Nokia’s embedded wireless solutions business head, Thomas Eder, stated that while the mechanism currently focuses on ensuring the safety of civil infrastructure, it may also be further utilized for defense purposes in the future, as the power grid, power plants, railways, and ports will also be critical strategic assets in times of war.