Belgium’s Ministry of Defence confirmed on 29 October 2025 that police and intelligence agency ADIV have opened an investigation after guards spotted multiple drones flying over sensitive zones of the Marche-en-Famenne barracks in Wallonia. The sightings – five drones on Sunday and two more on Tuesday – mark the second recorded drone incident at a Belgian military installation within a month and follow similar incursions reported at airports in Copenhagen and Munich earlier in October.
Defence Minister Theo Francken told reporters that the sophisticated flight patterns observed suggest “skilled operators rather than hobbyists,” raising concerns about espionage or the mapping of critical infrastructure. While the investigation is centred on military security, Belgium’s Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) has issued a NOTAM reminding drone users of the nationwide prohibition on flights within 5 km of airports and strategic sites, and advising airports to review counter-drone contingency plans. Brussels Airport confirmed it has switched its drone-detection radar to “enhanced” mode and increased perimeter patrols.
The timing is sensitive: Belgium is less than two weeks away from activating the EU-wide digital Entry/Exit System (EES) at its external borders. Any escalation of the drone threat could prompt temporary air-space restrictions and longer security lines, something travel-industry groups are keen to avoid during the busy All Saints holiday weekend.
Multinational companies with operations in Belgium are being advised by security consultancies to review staff travel guidance, particularly for personnel transiting military-adjacent regional airports such as Liège and Charleroi. Logistics providers have also been warned that unscheduled closures of air corridors could create knock-on delays for time-critical freight.
Although no flights have yet been disrupted, the episode underscores a growing nexus between national security and civil mobility. Should investigators link the drones to hostile state actors, Belgium could move quickly to tighten no-fly zones and expand “geo-fencing” requirements—measures that would ripple across the commercial drone sector and potentially restrict future last-mile delivery pilots in the country.
Defence Minister Theo Francken told reporters that the sophisticated flight patterns observed suggest “skilled operators rather than hobbyists,” raising concerns about espionage or the mapping of critical infrastructure. While the investigation is centred on military security, Belgium’s Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) has issued a NOTAM reminding drone users of the nationwide prohibition on flights within 5 km of airports and strategic sites, and advising airports to review counter-drone contingency plans. Brussels Airport confirmed it has switched its drone-detection radar to “enhanced” mode and increased perimeter patrols.
The timing is sensitive: Belgium is less than two weeks away from activating the EU-wide digital Entry/Exit System (EES) at its external borders. Any escalation of the drone threat could prompt temporary air-space restrictions and longer security lines, something travel-industry groups are keen to avoid during the busy All Saints holiday weekend.
Multinational companies with operations in Belgium are being advised by security consultancies to review staff travel guidance, particularly for personnel transiting military-adjacent regional airports such as Liège and Charleroi. Logistics providers have also been warned that unscheduled closures of air corridors could create knock-on delays for time-critical freight.
Although no flights have yet been disrupted, the episode underscores a growing nexus between national security and civil mobility. Should investigators link the drones to hostile state actors, Belgium could move quickly to tighten no-fly zones and expand “geo-fencing” requirements—measures that would ripple across the commercial drone sector and potentially restrict future last-mile delivery pilots in the country.
