EU Unveils Action Plan to Combat Rogue Drone Threats Across Europe

The European Commission has unveiled a comprehensive action plan to address the escalating threat of rogue drones across the European Union, proposing a coordinated approach that combines enhanced detection capabilities, industry collaboration, and regulatory updates.

The action plan comes in response to increasing drone incursions that have disrupted critical infrastructure, including airport shutdowns in Oslo and Copenhagen last year. These incidents, suspected to have originated from Russia-owned ships passing through the strait between the two countries, have highlighted the vulnerability of European infrastructure to remotely operated aircraft.

Enhanced Detection and Tracking Capabilities

The Commission emphasizes the need for improved situational awareness across the EU. The plan calls for integrating data from multiple sources into a unified view to detect, track, and identify legitimate drones in near real-time. This will be built on existing frameworks like U-space, the European digital system designed to manage safe access to airspace for remotely operated systems.

A particularly innovative approach involves leveraging existing telecommunications infrastructure. The EC proposes using 5G networks to detect drone activity through several methods:

• Identifying unusual SIM card identities and data transmission patterns
• Using cell stations as radar sensors to locate flying objects, including balloons
• Implementing AI-based automated detection and alert systems

While this approach offers promising short-term solutions for monitoring critical infrastructure, the Commission acknowledges it requires strong partnerships between national authorities and telecommunications operators.

Regulatory Updates and Industry Collaboration

The action plan includes significant regulatory changes, most notably the proposed Drone Security Package. This package would extend registration and identification requirements to all drones weighing more than 100 grams (approximately 4 ounces), a substantial reduction from current thresholds. The Commission aims to have this package approved by the third quarter of 2026.

To boost Europe's domestic drone and counter-drone capabilities, the EC proposes several initiatives:

• Establishing a network of multinational testing and expertise centers across member states
• Creating a drone and counter-drone Industrial Forum, building on the Drone Alliance initiative with Ukraine
• Assessing the use of the forthcoming Industrial Accelerator Act and European Defence Industry Programme to enhance EU production
• Developing an "EU Trusted Drone" scheme to identify secure equipment on the market

The plan emphasizes the importance of moving solutions from laboratory settings to real-world deployment more quickly, calling on member states to remove obstacles that prevent testing in designated areas.

Cross-Border Cooperation and Military-Civilian Integration

Recognizing that protecting critical infrastructure requires a coordinated response, the action plan calls for enhanced cooperation between civilian and military bodies. The Commission proposes annual EU-level counter-drone exercises involving both civilian and military responses to test procedures and communication lines.

The plan also builds on the European Drone Defence Initiative, which aims to develop capabilities and industrial efforts at the EU level by drawing on Ukraine's battlefield experience in areas such as data management systems, command and control, detection systems, and effector systems (countermeasures).

Implementation and Future Outlook

The Commission describes the action plan as a "dynamic process" that will be adapted to changing circumstances and threats. It will now enter discussions with EU member states on the proposed actions, emphasizing that the plan represents a major step toward enhancing security and developing drone capabilities collectively.

"Drone and anti-drone capabilities are central components in defending Europe and securing critical infrastructure," commented Henna Virkkunen, the Commission's Executive Vice President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy. "In the current geopolitical context, Europe must cultivate home-grown solutions to enhance its collective security. We have the talents, the technologies, and the industrial strength to protect our assets."

The action plan represents a significant shift in how the EU approaches drone security, moving from fragmented national responses to a coordinated European strategy. As drones continue to evolve with advances in speed, range, and payload, the Commission's proactive approach aims to ensure that counter-drone systems can keep pace with these developments while maintaining the benefits of civilian drone use.

The success of this initiative will depend on member states' willingness to implement the proposed measures and invest in the necessary infrastructure and capabilities. With the geopolitical landscape increasingly volatile, the EU's commitment to developing home-grown solutions for drone security signals a recognition that this threat requires sustained attention and resources.