Denmark has imposed a nationwide ban on civilian drone flights for the coming week after fresh sightings of unmanned aircraft over several military facilities, following a series of incursions that also disrupted civil aviation. The prohibition will run from Monday to Friday as Copenhagen hosts European leaders for back-to-back meetings.
Authorities said the latest reports of drones came overnight into Sunday at multiple bases. The Danish military stated it had deployed “several capacities” in response but did not disclose operational details. The announcement follows a week in which drone activity forced temporary closures at several airports, including nearly four hours of suspended operations at Copenhagen Airport earlier in the week.
Officials have characterised the pattern as a “hybrid attack”, though Denmark has not issued a formal attribution. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has previously identified Russia as the primary state threat to European security; the Kremlin has denied involvement. Investigations remain open.
The ban is timed to coincide with Denmark’s role as host of two high-profile gatherings during its rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of this year: an EU leaders’ meeting on Wednesday and, on Thursday, a summit of the 47-member European Political Community. Civilian drones will be barred from Danish airspace during this period to reduce the risk of misidentification and to preserve security headroom for the armed forces and police. In a statement, Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said Denmark was facing a difficult security environment and that the measures were intended to ensure the best possible working conditions for security services during the events. The ban covers 29 September to 3 October.
Operationally, Denmark is receiving allied support. A German air-defence frigate arrived in Copenhagen on Sunday to strengthen surveillance during the summits, complementing Danish assets already deployed around the capital and key sites. NATO said on Saturday it would step up vigilance in the Baltic Sea region in response to the incidents, adding intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms and at least one air-defence ship to its posture. The measures build on alliance efforts launched earlier this year to protect critical undersea infrastructure and improve airspace awareness along Europe’s northern flank.
The civil aviation impact has been immediate. On Monday last week, Copenhagen Airport closed for almost four hours after drone sightings; on Wednesday night, Aalborg Airport—used for both commercial and military flights—shut airspace for about three hours, with several flights diverted. Police said the flight paths observed near Aalborg resembled those reported over Copenhagen. There were further reports at other sites, prompting renewed scrutiny of drone activity around critical infrastructure.
Danish authorities have encouraged the public to report suspicious aerial activity and have warned that breaches of the temporary prohibition will be treated seriously. The transport and defence ministries have argued that a blanket pause on legal civilian operations reduces the risk of confusion with hostile or unidentified drones during a period of heightened sensitivity.
Denmark’s move mirrors wider regional concerns. Several NATO and EU members bordering the Baltic and the North Sea have been reinforcing counter-drone measures since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, particularly around airports, military installations and energy assets. The latest incidents come amid additional tensions, including a brief violation of Estonian airspace by Russian aircraft reported this week. While attribution for the Danish drone sorties remains unconfirmed, the pattern has prompted calls for tighter coordination between national airspace regulators, police and armed forces, as well as improved sharing of radar and electronic surveillance data among allies.
For the week ahead, Danish planners will prioritise secure airspace over Copenhagen and key venues. The deployment of a German frigate—working alongside Danish sensors and patrols—adds layered detection and response options over both land and adjacent sea approaches. The ban on civilian drones is designed to simplify the picture for operators and to reduce false positives as security teams respond to any further reports. Authorities have not indicated whether the measure could be extended beyond Friday, saying decisions will depend on threat assessments and operational requirements during and after the summits.
Airlines and passengers have been advised that airports remain open and operating normally outside specific closures ordered by police or air navigation authorities. However, short-notice restrictions may occur if new sightings are verified. The Civil Aviation Administration has reiterated that unmanned aircraft may not be flown anywhere in Danish airspace during the ban, including recreational drones, commercial platforms and hobbyist flights, regardless of altitude.
The coming days will test the effectiveness of Denmark’s layered counter-drone posture under summit conditions. With allied assets in place and civil drone activity paused, officials aim to minimise disruption while maintaining a conservative safety margin around leaders’ movements and critical infrastructure. Any formal conclusions on the origin, capability and intent behind the recent sorties will likely follow once technical analysis of radar, optical and electronic intelligence is complete.
Denmark’s drone incursions widen into a regional security test ahead of Copenhagen EU summit
