PARIS: Drone threats are presenting an increasingly difficult challenge for airports worldwide as the technology rapidly evolves.
Russia’s recent airspace incursions have amplified these security concerns for aviation authorities.
Denmark experienced multiple drone overflights at its airports this week in what the prime minister described as hybrid attacks.
These incidents forced airport closures and heightened fears about aerial security.
Danish military intelligence could not identify the operators behind the drones but officials suggested Russian involvement.
Moscow has denied any responsibility for the drone flights over Danish airspace.
Norwegian authorities seized a drone operated by a foreign national within Oslo airport’s no-fly zone on Wednesday night.
Commercial drones became widely available during the 2010s and have since proliferated globally.
These devices can pose significant threats to aviation safety despite their recreational origins.
Drones have become essential military tools in the Russia-Ukraine conflict for both sides.
Even small consumer drones can be transformed into deadly weapons by attaching explosives.
Airports face particular difficulties in protecting aircraft from unauthorised drone incursions.
London’s Gatwick Airport cancelled more than 1,000 flights in 2018 after numerous drones entered its airspace over three days.
The origin of those Gatwick drones has never been definitively established.
Airports typically employ multiple detection systems including radar, acoustic sensors and visual monitoring.
Security teams attempt to neutralise any drone that approaches too close to aircraft operations.
One countermeasure involves destroying drones mid-air using laser technology.
This method carries risks from falling debris that could injure people or damage property on the ground.
Another solution uses security drones equipped with nets to capture intruding drones.
The most common approach involves jamming drone signals with portable scrambling devices.
Signal jamming does not provide complete protection against all drone threats.
Both Russia and Ukraine have developed countermeasures to bypass jamming technology since 2022.
Aviation security consultant Xavier Tytelman explained that jammers typically cause drones to hover until their batteries expire.
Modern drones can be reprogrammed to ascend vertically when jammed until they escape the jamming range.
Some advanced drones can be pre-programmed to continue toward targets even without GPS signals.
Airport security measures generally focus on commercial and recreational drone threats.
Military-grade drones fall under the responsibility of national armed forces rather than airport authorities.
France’s civil aviation authority handles detection and neutralisation of light drones.
The French armed forces ministry assumes responsibility for countering advanced drone threats in national airspace.
Military responses may include surface-to-air missiles, helicopters or fighter jets.
Armed forces often hesitate to engage non-explosive drones due to potential collateral damage risks. – AFP