ETS-Lindgren to Build Dual EMC/RCS Lab in Estonia

ETS-Lindgren has announced that construction is underway on a combined Electromagnetic Compatibility and Radar Cross-Section (EMC/RCS) Laboratory in Tallinn, Estonia, as part of the Drone Technologies Testing Centre operated by Metrosert, Estonia's state-owned Applied Research Centre and National Metrology Institute. The facility is scheduled to become operational by the end of 2027.

Following a competitive procurement process, ETS-Lindgren Oy of Finland was awarded the contract alongside March Microwave Systems B.V. of the Netherlands to design and build the dual-purpose chamber — a configuration the company describes as uncommon in Europe.

Combining EMC and radar cross-section testing in a single chamber presented a technical challenge, since conventional far-field or compact-range RCS solutions typically require a considerably larger chamber and more complex system than EMC testing alone. According to Aleksei Solovjov, ETS-Lindgren's Regional Sales Manager for EMEA, the team used simulation tools to evaluate absorber layout options and demonstrated that its DuraSorb absorber materials could support both EMC and near-field RCS testing across a 30 MHz to 40 GHz frequency range, while still allowing efficient reconfiguration between test types.

The EMC/RCS Laboratory will sit within Metrosert's broader Drone Technologies Testing Centre, which will also include a drive-in climate chamber, an ingress protection laboratory, climate and altitude chambers, a materials laboratory with corrosion testing, HALT/HASS accelerated life testing, vibration and acoustics testing, and a dedicated field-testing area for drones and unmanned systems.

Rainer Kivimäe, Head of the Drone Technologies Unit at Metrosert's Applied Research Centre, said the facility addresses a capacity gap affecting Estonia and the wider region, noting that EMC/RCS testing centers across Europe are heavily overbooked. He also pointed to Estonia's security context and lessons from the ongoing war in Europe as a reason to incorporate real-world radar and electronic warfare data into the lab's testing approach, allowing developers to evaluate detectability and reduce the visibility of their systems under realistic conditions.

The infrastructure is aimed primarily at defense-sector companies developing large-scale systems across the Baltic and Nordic regions, with accreditation to international standards planned to run in parallel with the lab's launch.

"ETS-Lindgren Oy is excited to be part of this project," said JJ Vachoux, Managing Director, Solutions EMEA with ETS-Lindgren Oy. "Our extensive EMC experience, combined with Metrosert's specialized expertise, will benefit future users of the new test laboratory."