Some skilled drone operators took what amounted to be a series of victory laps around Copenhagen Airport Monday night demonstrating just how disruptive their mere presence could be. In what Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called “the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date,” two to three drones literally took over the airspace at Scandinavia’s busiest airport for more than three hours with some apparently choreographed flight patterns that harmed nothing except the travel plans of 140,000 people. Copenhagen Police Chief Jen Jesperson said a “capable actor” was behind the operation, which authorities fear was a dress rehearsal for something much bigger. “It all indicates that you are not out to attack anyone, but you are out to show off and maybe to practice,” Jesperson said.
As suddenly as the drones appeared, they also left the area and have not been found. Authorities speculate they traveled some distance to the airport and may have launched from a road or a boat. They haven’t ruled out Russian participation, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called those suggestions “unfounded accusations.” A European Commission spokesperson appeared to dismiss the denial. “And here we see a clear pattern: Russia is testing the European borders, also probing our resolve and undermining our security throughout,” she said. A drone also briefly disrupted operations at Oslo Airport in Norway but it’s not been determined if the two incidents are linked.
Jesperson said Danish authorities opted not to just shoot the drones down because of all the people, airplanes, and jet fuel in the vicinity, but there is now talk of creation of drone defense systems. European countries will meet Friday to discuss plans for a “drone wall.”
