From Printing Presses to Interceptor Drones: The Industrial Scaling of Defense Tech

In a strategic pivot that bridges the gap between high-precision mechanical engineering and modern aerospace defense, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) has entered a new era. Through its subsidiary, HD Advanced Technologies (HDAT), the German printing giant is fundamentally altering how drones and their counter-measures are produced. By partnering with the American-Israeli firm Ondas Autonomous Systems, Heidelberg has launched the joint venture "Onberg Autonomous Systems." Headquartered in Brandenburg an der Havel, the initiative aims to move defense technology away from artisanal, manual assembly toward the high-speed, scalable industrial production that once defined the era of mass-market printing.

Main Facts: The Industrialization of Defense

The partnership, officially launched in April 2026, marks a significant shift in the European defense sector. While the production of drones and counter-drone systems has traditionally been characterized by boutique, manual manufacturing processes, HDAT intends to apply the rigorous standards of the printing industry to the defense sector.

The core of this collaboration is the production of "Interceptor Drones" and autonomous ground vehicles (UGVs). Unlike conventional defense contractors who rely on complex, time-intensive composite materials, Onberg is focusing on "industrializability"—designing systems that can be manufactured rapidly using existing infrastructure. According to Michael Wellenzohn, CEO of HDAT, the company’s objective is to achieve a production capacity of up to 1,000 drones per day, positioning them as a leaner, more cost-effective alternative to established defense giants.

Chronology: A Rapid Development Cycle

The journey to Onberg began in mid-2025, when Michael Wellenzohn, a veteran of the automotive industry with over 20 years of experience, transitioned to Heidelberg to build the HDAT division. The company quickly identified the defense sector as a prime area for leveraging Heidelberg’s deep expertise in mechatronics.

• Mid-2025: HDAT is established under the Heidelberg umbrella to explore high-growth sectors such as aerospace, robotics, and energy storage.
• Late 2025: Development begins on an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) intended to serve as a mobile launch and recovery platform for interceptor drones.
• April 2026: Onberg Autonomous Systems is officially inaugurated as a joint venture between HDAT and Ondas.
• Present: The company moves from prototype to scalable production, with a focus on establishing a secure, fully European supply chain.

The development speed has been notable; the team engineered and produced their first fully functional UGV prototype in just four and a half months, sourcing only minor components—such as batteries and tires—externally.

Supporting Data: The "Printing Press" Philosophy

To understand why a printing company can compete in the defense sector, one must understand the complexity of a modern printing press. As Wellenzohn explains, a printing press is arguably the most complex mechatronic system in existence.

"A printing press is a Swiss watch of precision," says Wellenzohn. A machine spanning 40 meters can process paper with a tolerance of just 10 micrometers at the end of the run. This requires the integration of:

• 300 Electric Motors: Coordinating power and movement.
• 2,700 Actuators and Sensors: Providing real-time feedback loops.
• Advanced Hydraulics and Pneumatics: Sustaining mechanical stability.

Heidelberg’s capability to build an "integration layer" that manages diverse communication protocols between these sub-systems is exactly what is needed for advanced drone defense, where sensor data must be fused with kinetic response systems in milliseconds. Furthermore, because printing presses must operate reliably in every climate and power grid on Earth, Heidelberg has mastered the design of robust, independent power electronics. The company builds its own power systems ranging from 24V to 800V, ensuring that their defense systems are not reliant on fragile, globalized component chains that could fail during a crisis.

Official Responses and Strategic Vision

The leadership at HDAT is clear: they are not trying to reinvent the "brain" of the drone—the autonomous software—but are instead mastering the "body" and the infrastructure.

"We are not the ones who steer the drones automatically. But we offer a platform with our own electronics and our own depth of value creation," says Wellenzohn. By focusing on the hardware platform, Onberg addresses the critical bottleneck of current defense procurement: the ability to scale up production during a surge in demand.

The company is addressing a common pain point for the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). Modern defense strategy requires high flexibility; the military cannot afford to warehouse 600,000 units of expensive, outdated equipment. Instead, Onberg offers a "just-in-time" industrial capability. "In the event of a defense requirement, I need to be able to produce quickly and flexibly to reach high quantities," Wellenzohn notes.

Ondas, the partner firm, brings the specialized "Optimus" and "Iron Drone" technologies into the fold. The Optimus system, which resembles a self-contained machine tool, serves as an autonomous terminal where drones can change batteries and sensors without human intervention. The "Iron Drone" system represents a modular, "smart" cabinet that houses interceptor drones, providing an automated "hard-kill" solution to neutralize aerial threats using capture nets or kinetic impact.

Implications: The Future of Critical Infrastructure Security

The establishment of Onberg has profound implications for the protection of Critical Infrastructure (Kritis). With the number of unauthorized drone flights over power plants, military bases, and data centers rising, the need for a comprehensive, automated defense system has moved from a niche requirement to a strategic necessity.

A Holistic System Approach

The Onberg model is built on a "detect-to-neutralize" architecture:

1. Detection: Sensors identify the unauthorized object.
2. Classification: AI evaluates whether the object constitutes a threat.
3. Warning/Analysis: The system calculates the safest and most effective counter-measure.
4. Action: The system initiates either a "soft-kill" (electronic jamming) or "hard-kill" (interceptor drone/physical capture).

European Sovereignty

By insisting on a production footprint in Brandenburg and utilizing European supply chains, Onberg is insulating itself from the geopolitical risks that often plague the defense sector. The company’s reliance on its own foundry capacities and internal electrical engineering teams means that the production cycle is not subject to the whims of overseas suppliers.

The Humanoid Question

While the company is currently focused on security and energy systems, the underlying technology has potential applications in broader robotics. Though HDAT has stopped short of announcing a move into humanoid robotics, the logic of their "platform-first" approach remains a powerful indicator of their trajectory. As Wellenzohn puts it, "In an emergency, it is better if autonomous machines are deployed at the front line. Then it is only metal and electronics that are lost."

Conclusion

The partnership between Heidelberg and Ondas represents a fundamental maturation of the defense industry. By importing the "industrialization mindset" of the printing world into the aerospace sector, Onberg Autonomous Systems is shifting the paradigm from artisanal defense production to high-volume manufacturing. As geopolitical tensions rise and the reliance on autonomous surveillance and defense grows, the ability to produce reliable, high-precision, and scalable hardware in Europe may well become one of the most vital strategic assets of the coming decade. With their focus on modular design and deep vertical integration, the Brandenburg-based venture is well-poised to turn the tides of the drone-defense arms race.