During last month's Grand Quadriga 2026 multinational exercise in Seedorf, Germany, soldiers did more than train with drones — they designed and assembled their own. Working through the Bundeswehr's "Spark Cells" programme, troops from airborne and paratrooper units used 3D printers and off-the-shelf electronic components to build and test FPV (first-person view) reconnaissance drones, refining prototypes in real-world conditions. The initiative, led by the Bundeswehr's Cyber Innovation Hub (the German military's internal technology accelerator, founded in 2017), reflects a broader strategic shift: Germany's army chief of staff described data as "a form of ammunition," and officials say that as drone warfare reshapes modern conflict — underscored by lessons from Ukraine — soldiers must become co-developers of the systems they use, not merely operators.