AIRlabs Austria expanded its portfolio at the beginning of 2025 with the new LO-R 12 Hochkar test area, an alpine test site with unique conditions for altitude and safety testing. The approximately 52.5 km² area is located north of Eisenerz in the municipality of Landl (Liezen district), on the border with Lower Austria in the Ybbstal Alps and can be reached from Graz in around two hours and from Vienna in just under three hours. The highest elevation, the Stangl, lies at 1,592 metres above sea level and therefore enables tests under realistic alpine operating and weather conditions. 

A variety of Take-off and Landing sites offer flexibility when planning test flights, for example: 

• ‘Palfau’ is a flat meadow with easy access all year round. 
• ‘Hasentrog’, a remote quarry without regular traffic, is particularly suitable for safety-critical scenarios with increased risk. 
• ‘Stangl’, the highest starting point with an ideal view of the test area, is accessible seasonally from May to October. 

With airspace extending up to 7,500 ft AMSL, the sparse population and the alpine topography, the Hochkar test area is ideal for demanding UAV applications: These include altitude tests, flights in difficult weather conditions, BVLOS missions and the testing of systems for surveying in topographically challenging regions. The natural characteristics of the test area make it particularly well-suited for advanced environmental monitoring. 

Wide-ranging potential in the Hochkar test area 

Safety in a remote environment: space for risky scenarios 

Thanks to its remote location, low population density and terrain profile, Hochkar offers ideal conditions for safety-critical tests. Here, UAV systems can be specifically tested under controlled conditions for malfunctions, system failures or emergency situations – for example through simulated aborted take-offs, signal losses or fail-safe manoeuvres. The remoteness of individual launch sites – such as the ‘Hasentrog’ quarry – minimises the risk to people and the environment and allows practical tests with increased safety requirements. 

Alpine conditions as a test factor: technology put to the test in real alpine scenarios 

The Hochkar test area is located in the low mountain range of the Ybbstal Alps and allows tests under realistic alpine weather conditions due to altitudes of up to almost 1,600 metres. Thermals, gusts, changes in visibility and the effects of cold pose particular challenges for UAVs – whether for automated flight, sensor technology or the stability of the systems. Hochkar is therefore particularly suitable for UAVs that are to be used in alpine deployment scenarios such as rescue, avalanche search, environmental monitoring or logistics. 

Space for new air mobility: remote regions as a real-life laboratory 

As a sparsely populated, protected airspace, Hochkar offers ideal conditions for new concepts in unmanned air mobility. Whether BVLOS flights, communication tests, long-distance operations or transport solutions for remote regions – the test area allows practical testing of technologies. In conjunction with existing AIRlabs infrastructures, Hochkar can thus serve as a real laboratory for future-oriented mobility applications. 

Environmentally conscious testing: Innovation and nature conservation in harmony 

Part of the Hochkar region is located in a special natural area – which brings with it responsibility. AIRlabs Austria is committed to mindful and nature-friendly operations. Care is already taken to protect wildlife and sensitive habitats when selecting flight profiles and test time windows. At the same time, the area also offers great opportunities for environmental monitoring due to its largely untouched natural environment – for example in the automated recording of vegetation, glacier retreat or wildlife movements using UAVs. 

Are you planning UAV tests in alpine terrain, working on innovative solutions or want to kick off your next high-elevation UAV test? Get in touch with us. We’ll be happy to support you from the initial concept to the successful test flight: office@airlabs.at