The Irish Times reported over the weekend that the Dublin Airport’s drone detection system reported an authorized drone flying near the facility. Airport police were able to find and seize the drone and detain the pilot suspected of violating the airspace.

“Dublin Airport’s drone detection system identified the use of a drone close to the north runway just before 9 p.m. on Saturday evening,” a spokesperson for the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), which manages Dublin and Cork Airports, said on Sunday afternoon.

The unauthorized drone activity prompted the temporary closure of the airport’s north runway, leading to inbound and outbound flights being redirected to utilize the south runway.

“Airport police responded immediately to the incursion and caught the user and the drone within minutes before handing the individual over to An Garda Síochána.” According to the spokesperson, the incident did not affect any flights.

According to a Garda spokesperson, the drone has been seized, and the incident is currently under investigation. No arrests have been made at this time.

Last year, the Dublin Airport was the setting for numerous incidents that delayed flights and created a war of words between Ryanair and government officials. Last September, several news sources, such as the Irish Times, BBC, and The Journal, highlighted that counter-drone technology, previously restricted by government regulations, was permitted for use at the airport following amendments made by the communications regulator, ComReg. An amendment to the Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1926 facilitated these changes.

A DAA spokesperson commented in September, “Having recently received the necessary approvals, the anti-drone technology is fully operational and available for use as and when required at Dublin Airport. We remind all drone users that it is illegal to operate a drone within 5 kilometers of any Irish airport.”

For more information and references, see the C-UAS Airport Sector resource page.

Post Image- Dublin Airport Terminal 2 (Image Credit: Adobe Stock by Markus Mainka)