Brussels Airport is not sufficiently protected in the event of unauthorized entry of drones into the area, said representatives of the Air Traffic Management (ATM), quoted by local media. It is noted that dozens of violations of the ban on drone overflights in this area are detected per day, but it rarely leads to temporary closure of the runways for takeoff and landing, BTA reported.
Not all cases pose a threat, drones along the axis of the runways and along the trajectory of aircraft are dangerous, experts explain. They add that a drone can cause more damage than a bird if it is sucked into a jet engine. According to them, the violations identified so far have not involved malicious acts.
They specify that Belgian legislation does not currently provide for mandatory registration of drones, so that in the event of an incident their owner can be easily identified. According to them, in order to comply with the law, each drone flight must receive prior permission from the Civil Aviation Authority.
Since last year, teams have been set up in the country to monitor sensitive areas, one of which is the area around the capital's airport with an area of 20 square kilometers. The teams consist of representatives of the Civil Aviation Authority, the ministries of transport, defense and interior.
According to statistics, last year over 31 thousand unauthorized drone flights were detected in Belgium, mainly around Brussels airport. About 30 violations are reported daily in this area, but so far no aircraft has had to be diverted or the airport completely closed.