OSLO — Denmark will prohibit all civilian drone flights nationwide from Monday to Friday to safeguard a European Union (EU) leaders’ meeting in Copenhagen and reduce the burden on police amid a surge in suspicious drone sightings, the Danish government said Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025.
The temporary ban will run from Monday, Sept. 29, to Friday, Oct. 3, and is intended to prevent confusion between legal flights and potential hostile activity while authorities focus on summit security, Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen said in a statement.
Exemptions may be granted only for urgent tasks of public importance. Commercial and recreational flights, such as aerial photography for private events, will not be permitted. Military, police and emergency services are exempt.
Danish authorities said violations can be punished by fines or up to two years in prison.
The restrictions come as EU heads of state or government convene in Copenhagen on Wednesday, Oct. 1, for an informal meeting on European defense and support for Ukraine. The order follows multiple reports of drones over Danish airports and military facilities in the past week. / XINHUA