Authorities in Denmark are facing criticism after several unauthorized drones were spotted flying over Copenhagen Airport for hours, disrupting air traffic and revealing gaps in the country’s drone defense capabilities. The police did not engage with the drones at Copenhagen Airport and let the drones leave the airspace without further investigation.
Drones At Copenhagen Airport Cause Shut Down for Hours
Air traffic at Copenhagen Airport came to a halt Monday evening when multiple drones were detected in the airspace. The airport was closed at 8:30 p.m. and remained shut for nearly four hours, only reopening at 12:20 a.m. Tuesday. The incident, which authorities are calling a deliberate drone attack, prompted the cancellation of approximately 100 flights and caused 31 planes to be rerouted. Around 20,000 passengers were impacted.
Despite identifying the drones’ presence, police did not attempt to shoot them down. The decision not to intervene has sparked debate among defense analysts and security experts, who question whether better preparedness could have avoided the disruption.
Why Police Didn’t Engage With the Drones at Copenhagen Airport
Copenhagen Police defended their stance, citing safety concerns. The risk of drones crashing into nearby residential areas, fuel-laden aircraft, or triggering fire hazards contributed to the decision to stand down. Authorities indicated that the drones were sizable and flew in an area surrounded by densely populated regions, making a takedown potentially more dangerous than the drone activity itself.
The drones were reportedly in the air for four hours before disappearing, leaving authorities unable to determine their origin, operators, or intentions. The police are referring to the incident as a possible threat from a “capable actor” but provided no further attribution.
Experts Suggest Alternative Countermeasures
Defense experts are expressing skepticism over the police response. They argue that Denmark, although risk-averse, should invest in and deploy alternatives to neutralize unauthorized drones more safely.
Technologies like jamming and spoofing are widely used to disrupt drone signals or take control of them mid-flight. These methods can reroute drones toward safer areas, such as bodies of water, where they can safely be brought down. Other available tools include specialized drones that can intercept and identify rogue devices mid-air, as well as net-based systems that can physically disable drone propellers without creating the risk of falling debris in populated zones.
A Danish defense technology firm, OODALOOP, has produced equipment capable of countering such threats. The company’s founder pointed out that simple reconnaissance techniques such as sending up an inspection drone could have been deployed to better assess the unidentified devices. This might have enabled police to analyze the size, structure, and potential risk before making further decisions.
Political and International Reactions
The Danish government is treating the incident as extremely serious. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called it the most severe attack to date on Denmark’s critical infrastructure. The country’s intelligence agency, PET, also labeled the event “extremely serious.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested on social media that Russian forces may be behind the event, although Danish police have stated that they currently have no information supporting that claim. Meanwhile, a similar drone sighting was reported at Oslo Airport in Norway, prompting a temporary shutdown there as well. Norwegian authorities do not currently believe the two incidents are connected.
Exposing Weaknesses in Denmark’s Drone Defense
The drones at Copenhagen Airport further exposes Denmark’s limited ability to defend against modern drone threats. Observers note that Denmark’s military and police are still lagging behind technologically when it comes to drone mitigation strategies.
Although police recently began using new drone defense systems, including a Toyota Hilux vehicle equipped with a DroneSentry-X Mk2, capable of detecting, tracking, and jamming drones, it is unclear whether the system was deployed in time to prevent or respond to Monday’s drone flight.
Experts believe the drones were not designed to cause physical harm but rather to send a message. The length of time they hovered over the airport and the presence of visible lights suggest the objective was visibility, not stealth or attack.
A Call for Urgent Upgrades
Both security analysts and technology experts agree that such incidents highlight the urgent need for Denmark to modernize its drone defense systems. Whether the drones were state-sponsored or launched by private individuals, the capabilities demonstrated, such as flight endurance and coordinated airspace intrusion, show a level of sophistication that must be met with equally advanced countermeasures.
The government is now being urged to authorize funding and implement new policy frameworks that empower security forces to act decisively in future drone-related incidents.
