The EU proposes tighter drone registration, no-fly zones and better detection to address security gaps after a series of unexplained flights across Europe.
BRUSSELS: The European Union has unveiled a plan to tighten drone registration and create no-fly zones around sensitive sites. This action follows a spate of mysterious drone flights last year that disrupted airports and buzzed near critical infrastructure.
The new civilian-focused strategy aims to close security gaps exposed by those incidents. EU commissioner for tech and security Henna Virkkunen (pic) stated that drone capabilities are central to defending Europe.
“We have seen that anything can be used as a weapon against us,” Virkkunen said. “Drone and anti-drone capabilities are central components in defending Europe and securing critical infrastructure.”
A key proposal is to strengthen mandatory drone registration across the bloc. An EU official said the focus is on ensuring every drone can be linked to a specific operator.
The European Commission also wants to lower the weight threshold for regulation from 250 grammes to 100 grammes. This would bring smaller drones under stricter control.
Another goal is for member states to better map no-fly zones around sensitive locations. The long-term aim is to use geofencing software to block drones from entering these areas automatically.
To improve detection, the EU wants to bolster the use of telecoms systems and develop AI for monitoring suspect flights. Officials proposed annual large-scale counter-drone testing exercises to assess readiness.
Brussels will also discuss establishing rapid counter-drone emergency teams for quick deployment. While focused on threats, the strategy also aims to support the bloc’s drone manufacturing industry through funding and regulation.
The plan did not include concrete investment figures or detailed implementation steps. Officials acknowledged tighter controls would not stop malicious actors entirely.
They insisted, however, that better registration would help authorities quickly identify legitimate users. Suspicion for last year’s unexplained flights has fallen on Moscow, though no concrete confirmation links the Kremlin to the incidents.
The Sun Malaysia
