On 22 January, representatives from the State Agency “Civil Aviation Agency,” SJSC “Latvijas gaisa satiksme,” the Ministry of Transport, the State Police, security services, and RIX Riga Airport convened to identify additional actions and measures aimed at preventing incidents involving undetectable drones at Riga Airport.
The parties involved have already enhanced drone detection and response capabilities, significantly improving security in civil aviation.
The meeting participants, after analysing the incident, agreed on two main directions of action to prevent and mitigate risks to air traffic safety and airport operations in the future. Firstly, advanced technological equipment tailored to the airport's needs will be identified to ensure the detection of drones from the widest possible range of manufacturers. Secondly, measures will be implemented to enhance response capabilities, define competencies and powers, and strengthen the response capacity and technical equipment of the Riga Airport Station of the State Police.
“Rapid communication, effective utilisation of all available equipment in the country, and the review and enhancement of communication algorithms for similar cases are the key conclusions reached by all parties involved. We must work together to further strengthen our readiness and response capabilities in the future,” Māris Gorodcovs, Director of the Civil Aviation Agency, said after the meeting.
Since 2022, Riga Airport, in collaboration with the responsible state institutions and following their recommendations, has enhanced the protection of critical infrastructure. Together with state services, drone countermeasures used at the airport and their impact on air traffic have also been tested. In the autumn of 2024, Riga Airport acquired drones through procurement, intended for airfield patrols, identifying unauthorized drones, and counteracting them. Additionally, employees were trained as drone pilots to support these operations. Currently, in collaboration with SJSC “Latvijas gaisa satiksme”, efforts are underway to revise existing airfield and flight procedures and develop new ones to safely integrate patrol drone flights into daily airfield operation.
Riga Airport's procurement for drone detection equipment is also in its final stages. The deadline for submitting proposals closed on 21 January, and three proposals have been received. The winner of the procurement will be determined once the responsible services have provided their assessments on the eligibility of the applicants.
Additionally, through the Airports Council International Europe cooperation network, the experiences of other European countries in detecting and countering drones have been studied. The survey shows that, like Riga Airport, some European airports have drone detection equipment. However, countering unauthorized drone flights at European airports is typically a responsibility of national law enforcement institutions, which are also tasked with maintaining and using the relevant equipment.