Denmark Wants To Allow Airports To Shoot Down Drones

A new law in Denmark could give airports, ports and other critical infrastructure powers to shoot down drones if they interfere with operations.

Airports and ports could be authorised to neutralise drones under a proposed security law announced by the Ministry of Transport on Friday.

Public authorities and airport and port operators should be allowed to shoot down drones if they pose a threat near critical infrastructure, according to Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen, who has issued a proposal for its initial consultation phase.

“Drones are no more than toys for many Danes, but we’re in a serious security situation in which we can see that drones are being used increasingly actively,” Danielsen told broadcaster DR .

The proposal would allow certain authorities and infrastructure operators to take action against drones that refuse to cooperate in areas designated as “drone zones.”

This could authorise the authorities to either jam signals or physically neutralise the drones, including by shooting them down.

The move comes amid growing concern over drone activity. Last year saw a sharp rise in incidents involving drones flying too high or too close to airports, according to the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority (Trafikstyrelsen).

In January, the National Police (Rigspolitiet) and intelligence service PET were alerted after unidentified drones were repeatedly sighted near the town of Køge over several days. The operator was never identified.

In 2023, North Jutland Police said that illegal drone flights had led to repeated closures of the airspace over Aalborg Airport.

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