EDA tests drones in Switzerland to support troops in urban combat

The European Defence Agency (EDA) and the Swiss armed forces tested aerial drones and uncrewed ground vehicles in Switzerland’s Jura region from 10 to 12 November 2026, with the aim of getting new technology into soldiers’ hands faster. The trials in a training village looked at whether these technologies could resupply troops and evacuate casualties in urban combat.

Alpine Experiment Logistics (ALPEX LOG) was the first exercise of its kind in Switzerland, hosted by the Swiss Armed Forces Logistics Organisation at the Bure military training area. It was also the first time that an EDA Operational Experimentation (OPEX) campaign took place outside the European Union. 

Soldiers from a tank battalion and military logistics units took part alongside Swiss and EU companies, which supplied and operated the equipment. Such systems change quickly and can become outdated, so testing and adoption matter.

Supply and evacuation

The tasks focused on the final stretch of military logistics, where supplies must reach troops close to the fighting and casualties must be brought back. Wheeled and tracked ground vehicles were evaluated for both roles. Aerial drones carried goods and scouted buildings and their surroundings, adding reconnaissance to the logistics work.

The urban setting gave the experiment a specific focus: supporting troops operating among buildings. With combat and logistics units involved in the same exercise, military users could examine how the equipment might fit into their operations, while developers received direct feedback to guide further work.

A wider European effort

ALPEX LOG builds on logistics experiments involving aerial and ground vehicles held in Italy in 2025 and draws on what organisers learned from this year’s European operational experimentation activities in Portugal. Through these activities, EDA connects defence ministries, military facilities and industry so countries can assess emerging technology and share findings.

Switzerland’s participation rests on its administrative arrangement with the Agency, updated in 2025, which provides a framework for cooperation with non-EU countries.

Operational experimentation will be central to EDA’s new Centre for European Defence Innovation, which aims to speed up the uptake of military innovation. Trials such as ALPEX LOG give armed forces evidence to inform equipment decisions and give developers the feedback needed to refine their systems.