Mysterious Drones Continue to Cause Chaos in Danish Skies

A “Systematic Threat”

The incidents began on Monday evening when drones caused the closure of airports in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Oslo, Norway. Since then, the frequency of these incidents has increased, with near-daily overflights above other Danish civilian and military airports, such as Aalborg, which had to shut its airspace for several consecutive nights.

According to Danish authorities, these are not hobbyists at play. The Defense Minister has referred to it as a “systematic threat” orchestrated by a “professional actor.” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has described these actions as “hybrid attacks” intended to “spread fear and division.” While Copenhagen has not officially named a perpetrator, all signs are pointing towards Russia.

Drones Not Available in Stores

It’s crucial to understand that the drones flying over Denmark are not the typical consumer-grade drones found in retail stores. These are not DJI Mavics operated by amateurs from a few kilometers away.

Experts agree that these are military or professional-grade surveillance drones. These devices have the capability to operate for several hours and can cover distances ranging from tens to hundreds of kilometers. Importantly, they utilize encrypted communication links that are resistant to jamming, making them extremely difficult to intercept or neutralize with standard anti-drone defenses. They can also operate autonomously by following pre-programmed flight paths.

The Russian Ship Theory

So, where are these drones launching from? The most credible theory under investigation is that they are being launched from ships in the Baltic Sea. Analysts have identified several vessels with “suspicious trajectories” that have links to Russia and were located near the airports at the time of the incidents.