The matter in summary: Several hundred illegal drone flights have been observed at Norwegian airports during the summer. Avinor, Norway’s largest airport owner, has experienced a sharp increase in drone flights in Norway, many of them unauthorized and near the airports. Although there has been an increase in registrations in the CAA’s official register, the CAA estimates that every third flight around Norwegian airports is illegal. Illegal drone flying can result in fines of between NOK 3,000–10,000, and in some cases foreign drone pilots can be expelled from the country. The government is working on a new Parliamentary report on drones and new air mobility, with the aim of designing a “comprehensive policy for growth and innovation for drones and new air mobility”. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. In recent years, Avinor has experienced a sharp increase in drones in the airspace. Several hundred of these have been illegal flights in the area around the airports. This has led to strong concern at Avinor and the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority. In Tromsø alone, 15 tourists were expelled from the country due to illegal drone flights in 2023. – The horror scenario is that we have a collision between what we call manned and unmanned aircraft, says Andreas Johansen, section leader for unmanned aviation in the Norwegian Aviation Authority. CLEAR FEAR: In the worst case, drones can collide with manned aircraft, such as planes, says section leader Andreas Johansen. Photo: Marita Andersen / news Illegal drone flight – Now we are green. That means we can fly the drone without a problem. That’s what drone pilot Babang Deshommes says, and shows us the screen of his mobile phone. This time everything is done by the book. In the Ninox Drone app, he has registered his desire to fly a drone within the restricted zone at Tromsø Airport. Just a few minutes later, the control tower’s approval comes. The app allows drone pilots to request permission to fly within the restricted zone, as well as allowing others to see where they are flying. GREEN: Just seconds after asking for permission, Deshommes has been given the green light to fly the drone. Photo: Marita Andersen / news However, not everyone does. – I think it’s really stupid not to do it, because it’s easy, he says. That is why the police, the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority and Avinor have for a long time worked targeted at illegal flights. – Those who fly drones are an aviation operator. It is important for us to get information out to these players about what kind of rules apply in aviation. Aviation is, and must be, fully regulated in order for us to have safe aviation in Norway, says Johansen. DRONE PILOT: Babang Deshommes. Photo: Sebastian Wilches Mørketall In recent years there has been a sharp increase in drones in Norway. In 2021, the Norwegian drone barometer estimated that close to half a million Norwegians owned one or more drones. Even if very few people use the app, development is going in the right direction, Johansen believes. In addition, recent figures show that more and more people are registering in the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority’s official register of drone pilots. – We have seen an increase of 11,000-12,000 who have registered with us during 2024. These are numbers we are very happy with, says Johansen, before he continues: – But then there are big dark numbers. There are many people who have not registered, and we want to reach out to the population that has a drone. Can be punished Fresh figures from Avinor show that approximately every third drone flight at airports this summer was illegal. This summer alone, Avinor detected around 350 illegal drone flights. – When you fly a drone, you are part of aviation, on the same level as an SAS and Norwegian plane. The challenge is to reach out to everyone about the regulations, and especially to tourists, says Mats Gjertsen in Avinor’s Drone Programme. RULES: It is important to follow the regulations, points out Mats Gjertsen. Photo: Marita Andersen / news So far this year, the figures show a slight decrease of approximately ten percent in the number of illegal drone flights compared to last year. – What happens if you discover a drone? – Avinor has a system that detects the illegal drones. Then we notify the control tower, so that they can take the necessary measures for air traffic. – In certain cases, we can locate where the drone is, but also where the drone pilot is, says Gjertsen. Should one be caught for illegal drone flying, the penalty can be a fine of NOK 3,000-10,000, says section leader Johansen. Notification to the Storting The government is currently working on a new notification to the Storting on drones and new air mobility. STORTINGS MESSAGE: The government will present a new Stortings message next spring, warns Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård. Finland’s Transport Minister Lulu Ranne on the right. Archive image. Photo: Henrik Einangshaug / news This is with the aim of designing a “comprehensive policy for growth and innovation for drones and new air mobility”, according to transport minister Jon-Ivar Nygård. – Norway already has a strong position in the drone field internationally, and the government wants to continue this position. We want to ensure that the development of drones and new air mobility takes place in a sustainable and socially beneficial way, says Nygård. The Storting report is expected in spring 2025. Published 15 October 2024, at 18.17
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Avinor and the Norwegian Aviation Authority are concerned about illegal drone use at Norwegian airports – news Troms and Finnmark
