Small drone fell on Polish army base amid european incursions

Small drone fell on Polish army base amid european incursions
A drone belonging to the federal police's new drone defense unit, in Ahrensfelde, Germany, 2 Dec, 2025
Reuters

A drone incident at a military base in Przasnysz has triggered a police inquiry in Poland as security agencies across Europe confront a growing number of unauthorised devices entering restricted airspace.

Military police confirmed the incident after Radio Zet reported that security officers had observed the device over the base before it came down on 28 January.

The episode unfolded as authorities across Europe remain on alert after recent drone disruptions at airports and military facilities.

Spokesperson Tomasz Wiktorowicz said the drone was secured on site and passed to investigators.

“The toy-like device was secured... It was later handed over to the military police, and an investigation is currently underway,” he said.

He added that it appeared to be an unsophisticated model possibly controlled through a mobile phone and that it had lost contact with its operator.

“No recording devices, such as a memory card or SIM card, that could transmit data were found in the device,” he said.

Rising drone alerts across Europe

Britain’s military bases experienced a doubling of drone incidents last year, reflecting a wider shift in the nature of airborne threats.

Officials logged 266 uncrewed aerial vehicle incidents near defence sites in 2025, up from 126 in 2024, part of a broader pattern of European airspace facing increased drone activity.

“The doubling of rogue drones near military sites in the UK in the last year underlines the increasing and changing nature of the threats we face,” Defence minister John Healey said.

Airports in Belgium and Denmark were forced to halt operations for hours in late 2025 during drone incursions, with some analysts attributing patterns to suspected Russian interference, a claim Moscow denied.

Healey said British forces would now have expanded authority to destroy drones operating near military sites, removing the need for police involvement in such decisions.

The new powers will also permit the destruction of land-based drones and unmanned vehicles underwater.

Security measures at British bases have been strengthened over the past year, including after pro-Palestinian activists breached a Royal Air Force site last June and damaged two refuelling and transport aircraft with red paint.

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