Following last week’s incident at Riga International Airport involving the illegal entry of several drones of the airport’s air space, which resulted in severe disruption of flights, the Ministry of Transport has identified several directions to help improve operational measures in order to further reinforce the Civil Aviation Agency’s (CAA) and other institutions ability to respond to drone incidents, as LETA was told by the Director of the Aviation Department of the Ministry of Transport Artūrs Kokars.
He mentioned that Riga airport will soon conclude the procurement of a drone-detection system, which will help identify and follow unsanctioned drone flights in real-time, as well as respond to illegal activities involving drones.
As amendments to the Law on Police come into force, the Ministry of Transport will invite the Ministry of the Interior to enhance the police presence at Riga airport and ensure immediate response capabilities and countermeasures.
Kokars pointed out that for a faster response to such incidents, the existing legal norms will also be reviewed and cooperation procedures between the parties involved will be improved. In turn, in order to make it more difficult to commit unauthorized actions, the Ministry of Transport will call on law enforcement agencies to organize regular patrols in the vicinity of the airport.
When asked if the ministry sees CAA’s responsibility for the drone incident, Kokars said the two institutions have established a constructive cooperation model that helps productively resolve and discuss problematic issues related to UAVs, share experience and organise joint actions.
Nevertheless, he admitted that the incident with drones at Riga airport indicates a need to improve practical readiness and investments into technologies that can help counteract illegal activities.
He explained, referring to international practice, that airports are increasingly using drone detection technologies to detect, track and mitigate the threat of unauthorized drone flights. However, the CAA and airports generally do not have the legal authority to take direct measures to intercept or destroy drones. Law enforcement and actions to neutralize drones are primarily provided by law enforcement or military agencies in accordance with the applicable legal framework.
Thus, he noted that amendments to the Law on Police are currently being pushed in the Saeima, which will ensure the right of the police to capture, land or destroy a remote or autonomous control device, causing damage to it, if it is used in violation of regulatory requirements, or there are grounds to believe that it is used in committing a criminal offence, which will certainly also apply to the territory of Riga Airport and its surroundings.