Drone sightings have doubled near UK military bases, warns British government

Reports of drone sightings near military bases in the United Kingdom doubled last year, the British government announced Monday.

The surge in sightings has prompted the government to expand the powers available to service personnel to deal with the threat from uncrewed aerial vehicles without having to first involve law enforcement.

While armed forces personnel have the authority to use force if necessary to protect life or critical assets, there is currently no explicit power permitting them to tackle threats like drones without police involvement.

Figures released by the Ministry of Defence report 266 incidents near a range of different defense sites, a significant rise on the 126 incidents reported in 2024.

That year, sightings of drones at night over British airbases used by the United States Air Force (USAF) prompted fears that unknown actors may be conducting hostile reconnaissance of the facilities.

Similar sightings have occurred “over critical sites in Belgium, Poland, Romania, Denmark and Germany,” as Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, warned in a speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg last October.

Her comments followed a spate of “incidents near civilian and military installations” in Denmark at the same time as Copenhagen hosted two major European summits. Von der Leyen said Russia was at “hybrid war” with Europe and called for member states “to take it very seriously.”

Although Britain is no longer a member of the European Union, counter-drone specialists from the Royal Air Force have been repeatedly deployed to assist continental NATO allies defend themselves against the threats.

The update under the Armed Forces Bill, which was introduced to the House of Commons last month, aims to allow authorized military personnel themselves to take out any drones deemed to pose a threat. The rules will apply to land and submersible drones, as well as those in the air.

Defence Secretary John Healey said the escalation in rogue drone activity “underlines the increasing and changing nature of the threats we face” and stressed that the enhanced authorities are needed to protect personnel and assets.

“Through the Armed Forces Bill, we’re giving our military greater powers to take out and shoot down threatening drones near bases,” said Healey, adding the government would be “stepping up investment in counter-drone technology to keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad.”