Denmark Bans Civilian Drones Ahead of EU Defense Summit Amid Rising Security Threats

Denmark has temporarily banned civilian drone flights in its airspace, in preparation for a high-level EU meeting on defense and Ukraine, as well as after a surge in suspicious drone activity over several airports and military facilities last week.

The ban will run from Monday to Friday, and, according to Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen, it is intended to eliminate any risk that “enemy” drones will be misperceived as legal, or vice versa.

Last week, Denmark recorded several unexplained drone sightings over civilian airports and a military base. The incidents forced several airports to close temporarily and disrupted travel for tens of thousands of people.

Top European Union leaders will arrive in Copenhagen on Wednesday for a meeting of the EU Council on Defence and Ukraine, and the following day a summit of the European Political Community is expected to be held in the city.

We are currently in a difficult security situation, and we must ensure the best possible conditions for the armed forces and police responsible for security during the EU summit.

Europe is now on heightened readiness due to a string of drone sightings, as well as incursions of Russian drones into NATO airspace over Poland and Romania and violations of Estonian airspace by Russian aircraft.

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that, while authorities cannot determine who is behind the drone sightings, “we can at least state that there is predominantly one country that poses a threat to Europe’s security – and that is Russia.”

Although authorities cannot determine who is behind the drone sightings, we can at least state that there is one country that poses a threat to Europe’s security – and that is Russia.

In response to the mysterious drone flights, Denmark is receiving support from NATO: allies are strengthening defense and airspace surveillance in the Baltic region.

The next day the FSG Hamburg air-defense frigate, part of the Baltic Sentry operation, arrived in Copenhagen to bolster airspace surveillance during the expected EU summit. The Baltic Sentry mission was launched earlier this year in response to damage to infrastructure in the Baltic region and now complements air defense efforts near Europe’s eastern flank following recent drone incidents.

Furthermore, Germany said that, at Denmark’s request, it would provide counter-small drone systems using radar, optics, and acoustic technology; Sweden also expressed willingness to hand over an anti-drone system to Denmark, though details remain unknown.

The drone situation continues to be one of the key topics in Europe’s defense discussions as countries ramp up alliance coordination and share technology to protect airspace.