Facing increasingly frequent drone intrusions, some European countries are considering granting key infrastructure operators such as electricity companies more authority to intercept or even shoot down drones on their own.
According to Reuters report on October 21st, since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, several European countries have experienced frequent incidents of drone intrusions and so-called 'hybrid attacks'. European nations are concerned that attacks on critical facilities such as power grids could result in millions of people losing power.
European Electric Industry Alliance (Eurelectric) Secretary-General Cristian Lübi warned that the possibility of heat outages due to mixed attacks this winter is "increasingly close to reality."
In response to this threat, some European national governments began granting companies previously held by the military authorities.
France is at the forefront in this regard. In August this year, the French parliament passed a law allowing approved key infrastructure operators and contractors to detect, interfere with, and shoot down drones near designated facilities.
A senior French official involved in the related program revealed that France plans to equip more important and sensitive facilities with anti-UAV systems by 2027.
According to reports, the French government hopes to provide companies such as EDF and SNCF with a approved list of anti-UAV systems, including electronic jamming devices and drones for intercepting UAVs, in order to adapt to different environments and situations.
In Germany, counter-UAV activities are still within the scope of the police's responsibilities.
The German Interior Ministry told Reuters that the government is studying how to legally allow key infrastructure operators and third parties to participate in proactive anti-UAV operations.
Austria also announced plans in September to grant similar rights to operators of critical infrastructure, including large energy companies. Austrian Defense Minister Tanner admitted that the country cannot protect all facilities alone.
Poland has taken further measures by establishing no-fly zones around key energy infrastructure. It has also authorized the designated security departments under its operators to carry out actions such as destroying, rendering ineffective, or taking control of drones that enter these areas.
Several Polish operators told Reuters that they have deployed anti-UAV systems and are conducting joint training with the military and police.
However, there are still legal controversies surrounding companies flying down drones on their own.
Reuters interviews with more than 30 corporate executives, government officials, and drone experts show that the technology for detecting and shooting down drones is gradually becoming sophisticated. However, the legal regulations regarding who has the authority to use this technology have not kept up. As for who should be responsible when a fallen drone causes casualties or property damage, there is no clear answer yet.
Finnish power grid operator Fingrid's CEO, Asta Sihvonen-Pankka, stated that the responsibility for addressing security threats around key infrastructure should lie with Finnish government departments and the armed forces. Any move to grant such authority to utility operators would be a "very, very significant change," which requires careful legal assessment.
German military contractor Rheinmetall told Reuters that the biggest obstacle for civilian infrastructure operators is often the time lag between detecting drones and deciding whether to take countermeasures. Unclear legal responsibilities further exacerbate this issue.
However, Rheinmetall states that interest in counter-UAV systems among private infrastructure operators is growing rapidly. The company is currently organizing seminars for these operators, conducting site inspections and infrastructure assessments, and preparing for a market segment that is “growing very rapidly”.
