Air traffic over Brussels Airport at Zaventem was temporarily halted on Tuesday after drones were observed in the vicinity, the Belgian air navigation service Skeyes confirmed.
Operations were paused on safety grounds following multiple reports and resumed once the immediate risk was assessed to have passed. The suspension affected departures and arrivals for a period on Tuesday evening.
A Skeyes spokesperson, Kurt Verwilligen, told Belgian media that controllers stopped all movements after the reports came in. The scale of disruption at Zaventem was not immediately detailed, but the measure was described as precautionary while authorities verified the sightings and ensured the airspace was clear.
Parallel reports at Kleine-Brogel
Almost simultaneously, drones were reported near the Belgian Air Force base at Kleine-Brogel in Peer. Local residents notified police, who responded to the scene and stated that officers themselves observed two drones. The mayor of Peer, Steven Matheï (CD&V), said on Tuesday evening that a federal police helicopter had been called in to track any devices if possible. He added that, according to information available at the time, Defence had not been able to detect drone systems with its own assets during the incident.
The reports at Kleine-Brogel follow a cluster of sightings in recent days. Over the weekend, drones were observed three times above or near the base. Belgian public broadcaster VRT has also reported drone activity near the air base at Florennes, which currently hosts F-35 aircraft. Kleine-Brogel and Florennes are long-standing F-16 bases; Kleine-Brogel is slated to support F-35 operations as the aircraft transition continues.
Kleine-Brogel is widely reported to host United States nuclear weapons under NATO arrangements. Belgian authorities do not confirm operational details, but the site’s role within the Alliance’s deterrence posture has been the subject of longstanding open-source reporting. The recurrence of drone sightings around sensitive installations has therefore drawn particular attention within the security community.
Defence posture and rules of engagement
Belgium’s Chief of Defence, Admiral (CHOD) Frederik Vansina, reiterated this week that Defence has the authority to neutralise unauthorised drones above military domains. Vansina stated that an order is in place to shoot down drones when it can be done safely and without collateral damage. The armed forces have stressed that intercepting small, agile devices remains technically challenging, and that the rules apply only over military property; elsewhere in the country, police have primary responsibility.
On Tuesday, Belgian media quoted the Minister of Defence, Theo Francken (N-VA), as saying that drones were observed “in many places”. Security sources and officials have acknowledged that recent flights over military areas are being examined in the context of potential hostile intelligence-gathering, though they cautioned that attribution remains unproven.
Investigation opened; attribution unconfirmed
The federal prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into drone activity at Elsenborn and Kleine-Brogel, spokesperson Ann Lukowiak said on Tuesday. While Belgian authorities handle numerous drone-related matters each year, the federal prosecution service becomes involved in selected cases, including those where espionage is suspected. The office indicated that it is too early to determine whether the Zaventem incident involved careless civilian use or something more deliberate.
Civil aviation impact and next steps
At Zaventem, Skeyes’ decision to halt movements reflected standard aviation safety practice when an unidentified object is reported within controlled airspace near active runways or flight paths. Even short suspensions can have knock-on effects across schedules, including diversions and delays, but aviation authorities prioritise risk management in such scenarios. Airlines and passengers were advised through regular operational channels; further details on numbers of affected flights were not available at the time of writing.
The federal police helicopter deployment at Peer formed part of a broader response that can include ground patrols, aerial observation, coordination with military security teams, and, where feasible, counter-UAS measures. Belgian law restricts anti-drone actions outside military domains to ensure public safety and legal proportionality.
Authorities urged the public to report any suspicious drone activity near airports, military sites, or other sensitive locations and reminded operators that unauthorised flights in restricted zones are illegal. Investigators will review radar data, eyewitness accounts, any available imagery, and potential electronic signatures to build a clearer picture of the devices used, their flight profiles, and their points of launch and recovery. The Brussels Times
The incidents at Zaventem, Kleine-Brogel and Florennes add to a series of drone-related disruptions reported across Europe in recent years, prompting airports and armed forces to expand detection networks and refine incident protocols. Belgian officials indicated that further updates would follow as the investigation progresses and as security measures are adjusted in response to the current threat picture. Reuters+2tijd.be+2
