The incident with an UAS fitted with explosives at Leipzig/Halle airport demonstrates that the illegal and abusive use of uncrewed aircraft systems can pose a risk to people and critical infrastructure. Above all, the incident highlights the urgent need for action to ensure safety in lower airspace amidst a variety of challenges and to harness the disruptive potential of legal commercial UAS operations.
„The fact that a drone was apparently able to reach the airport apron undetected – only to be discovered there by chance – highlights the core of the problem“, says Dr. Gerald Wissel, Chairman of the Executive Board of UAV DACH – European Association for Unmanned Aviation. „We presented a catalog of measures regarding drone detection and defense as early as last December. Two of our key demands are the establishment of real-time situational awareness for lower airspace and the mandatory electronic identification of all airspace users via ADS-L. Only when authorities know at all times which aircraft systems are operating legally in an area can appropriate countermeasures be taken to ensure safety for both crewed and uncrewed airspace users, as well as for people on the ground.”
Modernizing the technical and regulatory structures of lower airspace is a vital task for the future of both national and European significance that requires urgent attention. This is the only way to create a practical framework for commercial UAS operations expected to grow rapidly in the coming years, while simultaneously boosting public acceptance and enhancing safety in lower airspace.