Aviation
Dublin Airport’s Terminal 2 after it was evacuated during a suspected cyber attack two weeks ago
Drone protection measures installed at Dublin airport over the past two years would not be sufficient to protect against incursions similar to those that disrupted air traffic in Denmark last week, the Department of Transport has said.
Military experts have blamed Russia for the disruptive incursions in Copenhagen and other airports and they fear Irish airports are vulnerable to such threats.
All Irish airports with commercial traffic are required to have procedures in place to deal with the safety risk posed by illegal drone activity, said a Department of Transport spokesperson in response to questions about the potential for disruption similar to what has been witnessed in Denmark.
Following a government decision, Dublin airport put in place a range of additional measures to counter illegal drone use after a series of disruptions at the airport in early 2023, it added.
“All relevant bodies at Dublin Airport now cooperate effectively to tackle illegal drone use and the disruption encountered in early 2023 has not been repeated,” it said.
Dublin Airport’s Terminal 2 after it was evacuated during a suspected cyber attack two weeks ago
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – October 5th
But the statement added that “it is important to note that while these measures have been effective in countering the careless and reckless use of drones, the type of malicious activity seen recently at some European airports would require a wider state response.
“Airport authorities have procedures to ensure the safety of the travelling public in such circumstances but would not be appropriate bodies to co-ordinate the overall response to such activity,” said the statement.
“Threats and risks to the security of civil aviation are formally assessed on a regular basis by this Department together with relevant state security and defence bodies. The risk posed by drones is included in this assessment and all relevant national and international information is taken into account,” it said.
Current protection at Dublin Airport includes an alarm when drones are spotted. But at a summit in Copenhagen last week, European leaders expressed support for a so-called drone wall, a system of detection and tracking of drones that could also allow for them to be shot down.
But the Department of Transport spokesperson said the European drone wall proposals “are a matter for Departments with responsibility for state security, defence, and international relations”.