Dozens of drones seized as NATO summit triggers strict no-fly zone over The Hague

Authorities have seized dozens of drones since a strict no-fly order was imposed around The Hague for the NATO summit, with security forces warning that enforcement will remain strict through the week, NOS reports.

A total drone flight ban has been in effect since last Wednesday within a radius of more than 16 kilometers around The Hague. In a smaller core area, the ban will remain in place until Friday. The restrictions apply to both hobby and professional drones, including those typically used by aviation companies to inspect aircraft. Only police and military drones with explicit authorization are allowed to operate.

So far, enforcement actions have resulted in the confiscation of several dozen drones. Offenders can face fines, the permanent loss of their drone, and, depending on the severity of the violation, a court summons.

Security officials say enforcement is significantly stricter than usual. “It’s all a matter of precaution,” Katja van Bijsterveldt, aviation officer at the Public Prosecution Service, told NOS. “From the outside, we can’t tell what a drone’s intent is.”

To monitor the skies, police and military units are deploying advanced detection systems, including radars. These systems can distinguish between drones with approved flight clearance and those that are unauthorized. “If we identify one that doesn’t belong in the air, we take it down,” Van Bijsterveldt told NOS.

Drones are intercepted in various ways. “Of course, you can simply tap the drone operator on the shoulder,” she added. “But we can also jam the signal.”

By jamming the frequency between the drone and its controller, authorities can force the drone to land or even take over its controls. “And in the worst-case scenario, we’re authorized to shoot a drone out of the sky with a firearm.”

“On the road, the rules are very clear,” Van Bijsterveldt told NOS. “But those same restrictions exist in the air. It may all seem harmless, but even hobby pilots must keep their drones grounded.”