Anti-drone technology operational at Dublin Airport

The airport was closed six times due to illegal drone activity in the first eight weeks of 2023

Anti-drone technology has been installed and is now ready for use at Dublin airport, the airport's operator has said.

In the first eight weeks of 2023 the airport was closed six times due to illegal drone activity.

Flights were suspended for 30 minutes due to one incident in February. Other drone sightings caused flights to be diverted.

The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) purchased anti-drone technology earlier this year and trained staff on how to use it.

Following amendments to legislation by the Irish government earlier this summer, communications regulator ComReg provided the DAA with a licence to operate the counter-drone technology.

Anti-drone equipment, which can detect and jam communications between a drone and its operator, was installed at airports in London after widespread disruption.

A DAA spokesperson said the technology in Dublin was "fully operational and available for use as and when required".

They added: "We remind all drone users that it is illegal to operate a drone within 5km of any Irish airport."