The high-tech company INLEAP Photonics opened a new production hall in Hannover on October 29, thereby completing the move from prototype development to industrial serial production of laser-based drone defense systems. Notable guests at the opening included Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Olaf Lies and Sven Weizenegger, head of the Cyber Innovation Hub of the Bundeswehr.
Mass production of the laser weapon
“Innovative technologies for drone defense and the protection of critical infrastructure are increasingly coming from Lower Saxony,” said Olaf Lies. “Especially for security-relevant technologies, in-house development and production capacities are of strategic importance.”
INLEAP Photonics, a spin-off from the Laser Center Hannover e. V., plans a significant growth in personnel at the Hannover site: the current workforce of 50 employees is to be expanded to more than 100 by the end of 2027 to advance the further development and scaling of the laser-based defense technology.
The new production line is organized according to the One-Piece-Flow principle, whereby each system passes through six coordinated stations without intermediate storage. This structure enables shortened throughput times and allows a flexible ramp-up of capacities in response to rising demand, in order to also service larger military orders in relevant quantities. The ramp-up of serial production and further deliveries will begin in November 2026. At production start, the first turnkey units will be handed over directly to the partner Stark. Stark and INLEAP Photonics had announced their partnership at the Hannover Messe 2026.
INLEAP FASTLIGHT HELD Demonstrated Successfully in the Laserdome
At the center of production is the INLEAP FASTLIGHT HELD system (High Energy Laser Drone), a mobile defense system on a rugged, unmanned ground platform. It serves remote protection of mobile units, temporarily secured areas, and critical infrastructures. The technology combines AI-assisted detection with ultra-fast laser beam steering: vulnerabilities of incoming drones are precisely identified and the laser beam is kept accurately on target even during rapid evasive maneuvers, in order to neutralize the flying object within a few seconds.
Only recently had INLEAP Photonics, together with the Cyber Innovation Hub of the Bundeswehr, within the framework of the “Laserdome” project at Strausberg Airfield, successfully demonstrated laser-based defense of flying drones in civilian airspace.
“With Laserdome, INLEAP Photonics and the Cyber Innovation Hub of the Bundeswehr have for the first time demonstrated drone defense with a laser at a public airport. The laser provides the effect; AI-powered software provides the precision. For this capability to reach the troops, it now needs to scale. The start of serial production at INLEAP Photonics is an important signal for that,” says Sven Weizenegger.
Author: Gerhard Heiming, defense industry correspondent
