Denmark has banned all civilian drone flights this week ahead of a European Union summit in Copenhagen, the country's transport minister announced on Sunday.
The ministry indicated that this decision was made to 'simplify security work' for the police, stating they could not accept 'foreign drones creating uncertainty and disruption'.
Recent weeks have seen reports of drone incidents in Denmark, including sightings above military sites, with one such sighting occurring just this past Saturday.
In response to the rising threat, defence ministers from 10 EU countries have agreed to establish a 'drone wall', while NATO has escalated its vigilance across the Baltic region.
The transport ministry's statement emphasized that police are on 'significantly increased alert' ahead of this week's summit, underlining their responsibility to safeguard both Danish citizens and international guests.
This drone ban will remain in effect until October 3rd, with violations carrying potential penalties of fines or imprisonment for as long as two years.
Denmark, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, has seen unidentified drones reported in its airspace since September 22nd, which led to the closures of Copenhagen and Oslo airports.
In recent incidents, Aalborg and Billund airports also had operations suspended due to drone activity.
Danish authorities are struggling to identify those behind the drone flights; however, the defence minister termed the incursions a 'hybrid attack' and part of a 'systematic operation'.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated that investigations into the responsible parties continue, and did not rule out possible involvement from Russia. Moscow has firmly rejected such accusations.
As Europe heightens its alert level following these incidents, other countries have also reported similar drone sightings, with Norway and Romania noting disruptions to airport operations due to unidentified drones.
