Frontex Concludes Contest to Counter Criminal Use of Drones at EU Borders
Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, has completed the final testing phase of its prize contest aimed at combating the criminal use of drones at the EU borders. The trials took place under real-life conditions at the Campo de Tiro base in Samora Correia, hosted by the Portuguese Air Force.
Finalists and Technologies
- Adevex Solutiones (Spain)
- Dat Con (Slovenia)
- MBDA France (France)
- Nordic Air Defense (Sweden)
Each company demonstrated their systems against simulated drone threats, including smuggling and unauthorized surveillance activities.
Role of the Portuguese Air Force
The Portuguese Air Force played a crucial role by providing access to a controlled yet realistic testing environment. Their support enabled the simulation of complex scenarios reflecting real operational challenges, which was central to the contest's success.
Contest Objectives and Testing Criteria
The contest aims to equip European law enforcement with non-military solutions to detect, track, and intercept drones involved in illegal cross-border activities. The technologies were assessed based on:
- Detection accuracy
- Flexibility
- Suitability for use by border and coast guard teams across Europe
Background
This is Frontex’s second prize contest focusing on the criminal use of drones, following a successful competition in 2023 targeting detection of low-flying objects.
The winner of the contest will be announced in the coming weeks.
Author's summary: Frontex, supported by the Portuguese Air Force, has tested innovative drone detection technologies to help European border forces combat illegal drone activities effectively.