Europe’s skies are in turmoil once again, not from storms or strikes, but from a surge of so-called drone sightings that have forced major airports from Copenhagen to Munich to ground flights. In the past two weeks, air traffic has been repeatedly disrupted as officials chased mysterious flying objects: some now found to be stars, planes, or even balloons. The panic has revived memories of the 2018 Gatwick Airport shutdown, where no drone was ever found, and sparked fresh fears of Russian “hybrid” interference despite a lack of evidence. Experts warn that Europe’s growing obsession with drones may be fueling a dangerous cycle of overreaction.
On the evening of September 22, 2025, Copenhagen Airport — the busiest in the Nordic region — abruptly shut down after reports of two to three large drones flying over or near its runways. Flights were grounded for nearly four hours; others were diverted to Sweden and Germany. Around the same time, Oslo Airport in Norway reported similar sightings, triggering temporary closures.
Danish officials described the objects as “large” and flown by a “capable operator.” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the incident “a serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure” and said that while there was no proof of state involvement, Russia could not be ruled out.
That one night of confusion and speculation sparked what is now being called Europe’s biggest airspace scare in years. Over the following days, reports of mysterious flying objects flooded in from Germany, Denmark, Norway, Lithuania, and the Netherlands, prompting repeated airport shutdowns and a spike in anti-drone alerts across the continent.
A pattern of panic takes hold
From Copenhagen to Munich, officials began seeing patterns that hinted at something organized, or at least widespread. Several countries invoked “hybrid threat” language, a diplomatic term used when governments suspect foreign interference or coordinated probing.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has gone as far as to say that authorities assume some of these incursions are Russian-influenced operations, echoing confirmed incursions into Poland, where drones of Russian origin have been shot down. Similar verified incidents occurred in Lithuania and Romania, giving credibility to fears of state-linked reconnaissance activity.
Yet for all that, no physical evidence of drones has been found to date. In Copenhagen, officials eventually reopened the airport, saying the objects had “disappeared.” In Munich, Schiphol, and Vilnius, similar shutdowns occurred based solely on visual sightings or radar anomalies. Investigations have yet to produce verifiable data: radar signatures, intercepted control links, or captured devices.
And that makes these cases eerily familiar to anyone who remembers the 2018 Gatwick Airport saga — the event that arguably started Europe’s modern drone paranoia.
The ghost drones of Gatwick
In December 2018, London’s Gatwick Airport — one of the busiest in Europe — was brought to a standstill for nearly three days after repeated “drone sightings” near its runway. More than 1,000 flights were canceled, stranding 140,000 passengers and costing airlines tens of millions.
Police at the time called it a “deliberate act to disrupt air travel.” The British military was even deployed with counter-drone gear. But in a stunning twist, no drone was ever recovered. Months later, Sussex Police admitted that there may never have been a drone at all.
That incident became a case study in how fast unverified sightings can escalate into national crises. It also triggered a worldwide rush to deploy anti-drone systems, rewrite aviation rules, and shape public perception: when something strange appears in the sky, “drone” becomes the default culprit.
Fast forward to 2025: Same playbook, new players
The Copenhagen scare follows the Gatwick pattern almost step by step: an initial sighting, major airport shutdowns, vague descriptions of “large” drones, but little proof.
Only this time, the backdrop is more charged. With Europe on edge over Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, fear of hybrid warfare is amplifying every radar blip and video clip. When an unidentified object appears, the public assumption leans immediately toward espionage or attack.
Security analysts say this “drone reflex” is understandable, but also risky. Without immediate transparency, governments risk feeding the very hysteria they want to contain. Adding to the confusion, several “drone sightings” in recent weeks have later turned out to be balloons or celestial misidentifications.
- In Vilnius, Lithuania, dozens of “drone incursions” turned out to be contraband balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes.
- In Germany, night-sky reflections and flight lights have been mistaken for hovering drones.
- Even within Denmark, officials now admit that some sightings were likely manned aircraft or optical illusions.
So while there are confirmed Russian drones crossing into Eastern Europe, the majority of airport-related panics remain unverified or inconclusive.
Related: The problem with telling everyone to report ‘suspicious’ drones
Why we’re so quick to blame drones
There are practical reasons behind the confusion. At dawn or dusk, a reflective object — a balloon, bird, or even a distant aircraft — can appear to move erratically against the background, especially from a cockpit or ground radar system tuned for large targets. Small bright points can easily be mistaken for drones, particularly when lighting conditions distort distance perception.
Psychologically, drones have become a convenient villain. They’re new, they’re visible, and they’ve been portrayed as both exciting tools and potential threats. A buzzing quadcopter over a backyard feels harmless; over an airport, it’s a menace. And after a few high-profile incidents — real or rumored — confirmation bias kicks in. Every glint of light becomes a “drone.”
Technology isn’t helping much, yet. Airport radars are designed to track airplanes, not lightweight plastic quadcopters or balloons. Even modern detection systems sometimes struggle to distinguish between a drone and other small airborne clutter. That leaves investigators to piece together sightings from pilots, controllers, and cell phone footage — data points that are often inconsistent or impossible to verify.
This uncertainty fuels a feedback loop. The absence of proof becomes proof of sophistication: “We couldn’t find it, so it must have been a stealth drone.”
That said, it is essential to distinguish between Europe’s dual realities.
- In eastern Europe, verified drone incursions, often linked to Russia, are real and dangerous.
- In western Europe, most of the chaos centers on unverified sightings, where no drones are found.
Yet both are shaping policy. Countries like Denmark have temporarily banned civilian drone flights. Lithuania has given its military broader powers to shoot down drones near restricted zones. NATO, meanwhile, has ramped up counter-drone coordination.
The bottom line
For US readers, the European situation holds familiar lessons. Just last year, New York’s Stewart International Airport was forced to close runways after mysterious drone sightings. Similar reports caused mass frenzy in neighboring states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, and as far west as Ohio, where Wright-Patterson Air Force Base experienced a brief closure due to suspected drones. But the White House confirmed that many reported sightings were likely manned airplanes mistaken for drones. Homeland Security Secretary also explained that the uptick in reports might stem from new regulations allowing “legal” nighttime drone operations, emphasizing that no foreign involvement or credible threat was identified.
As such, these recurring scares underscore a larger issue: our detection, communication, and verification systems are still playing catch-up with the realities of shared airspace.
When an object appears where it shouldn’t, authorities are right to pause flights. Safety demands it. But the knee-jerk labeling of every unknown as a “drone” risks desensitizing the public and unfairly demonizing legitimate drone operators — from photographers to first responders.
As regulators craft tighter rules for unmanned flight, the conversation must balance caution with evidence. Otherwise, as Europe’s recent fortnight of skyward panic shows, the next shiny balloon at sunset could ground thousands of passengers yet again.
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