Around nine out of ten drone flights over sensitive areas of the Belgian airspace, such as airports and military zones, were unauthorised, according to figures cited by L'Echo from SkeyDrone, a subsidiary of air traffic controller Skeyes.
Last year, over 31,000 drone flights were detected in sensitive areas.
According to SkeyDrone, an automated system recorded an average of thirty drones per day around Brussels Airport, the country’s largest controlled airspace.
Most of these drones were recreational and operated by individuals who had not submitted flight plans.
Skeyes CEO Johan Decuyper explained that the system can alert police to the location of the drone and its operator. However, he clarified that very few drones represent an actual safety risk.
In 2024, Skeyes recorded nearly 21,000 permit applications for flights near airports in Brussels, Charleroi, Liège, Antwerp, Ostend, and Kortrijk or in military zones. This figure marks a 40% increase compared to two years earlier.
Not all approved permits result in flights, as adverse weather conditions often force cancellations.
