Mysterious 15 drones were spotted flying over a training ground in Belgium: what is known about the incident

3 October 2025. In the evening, about fifteen drones were spotted flying simultaneously over one of the military training grounds in Belgium. The incident is being investigated by the relevant services, and the airspace in the area is temporarily under tightened control. There were no preliminary injuries, and the exercise could be suspended for safety checks

What happened

According to local media and military sources, the range operators saw a group of small UAVs flying at different altitudes and courses. Some of the drones may have been operating synchronously, making them difficult to identify and track. After the flight was detected, response protocols were put in place, duty units were alerted and law enforcement was informed

Where and when

The incident occurred over the territory of a training ground that is off-limits to civilian aircraft and drones. The time of the incident is said to be in the evening, when visual surveillance is hampered by dusk and drone signals are easier to mask among industrial obstacles

Reaction of the authorities and the military
The military police and air force have begun checking the routes and origin of the UAVs, collecting video from cameras, radar and detector logs. They are considering the possibility of unauthorised intelligence gathering, as well as scenarios of hobby drones violating flight rules. The issue of the state affiliation of the drones is not officially commented on

Possible versions

1. intelligence activities against a military facility
2. a coordination swarm to test the response of air defence systems
3. violation of flight rules by civilian operators or deliberate hooliganism
   No official conclusions are available at the time of publication, and no confirmation of the use of weapons or interceptions have been announced

Whether there was a threat to civilians

There is no information on the risks to the public and infrastructure. The authorities urge citizens to refrain from publishing sensitive photos and geolocations if they accidentally witness flights and to report suspicious UAVs by calling the emergency number 112

Context.

In recent years, European countries have recorded an increase in incidents involving small drones near critical infrastructure and military facilities. Modern UAVs are cheap, quiet, and manoeuvrable; several drones can create an information overload on surveillance systems and lure out response tactics

What we know about drone swarms
The coordinated flight of a group of small UAVs at different angles and altitudes makes it difficult to detect and classify targets. Such groups can act as a distraction or a sensor net. In the Belgian case, the use of a full-fledged swarm has not been officially confirmed

What's next
It is expected to audit the flight ban regimes around the training grounds, strengthen cooperation between the military, police and aviation regulators, and check radio frequency monitoring systems and anti-drone equipment. The results of the investigation may lead to an update of local rules and flight restriction zones

Advice to citizens
Do not attempt to shoot down or jam drones yourself
Do not approach fallen machines or touch suspicious objects
Record the time, direction and approximate height of the observation and report to 112
Do not publish detailed coordinates of military facilities and patrol routes

Reference.
In Belgium, flying drones over military installations, training grounds, airports and other critical areas is prohibited without special permits. Violation of the rules entails administrative or criminal liability, and the devices can be seized