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Brussels Airport (BRU/EBBR) was temporarily closed on 4 November 2025 following reports of drone activity in the airport’s vicinity. Multiple inbound flights were diverted during the closure.
Belgian newspaper HLN („Het Laatste Nieuws”, part of DPG Media) reported on 5 November that a large drone had been observed near the airport. Video footage showed an aircraft in close proximity to the terminal building.
Media Reporting
The HLN article stated:
The drone spotted at our national airport was most likely not operated by an amateur. According to well-informed sources, when Brussels Airport reopened, the drone immediately returned and flew very deliberately past the control tower, which was able to film it clearly. This is being viewed as a provocation.
Dutch media outlets including NU.nl, AD, and RTL Nieuws published the video, identifying the aircraft as a large drone.
Analysis and Verification
However, a brief analysis reveals that the aircraft visible in the video is not a UAS but a Belgian police helicopter. While this does not preclude the possibility that one or more drones were operating in the airport’s vicinity that evening, no drone is visible in the available footage.
Additionally, the video was not recorded from inside the ATC tower.
Technical Verification
Several factors indicate misidentification:
Audio Analysis: The video lacks audio. Had sound been present, the helicopter’s signature would have been immediately apparent.
Flight Tracking Verification: While Flightradar24 is commonly used for aircraft tracking, it does not display all traffic due to operator blocking requests. To verify helicopter operations on 4 November, another unfiltered platform was consulted. Unlike FR24, this platform shows all unfiltered or blocked ADS-B transponder traffic without operator-requested filtering. The platform’s replay feature confirmed helicopter operations in the area during the reported timeframe.
Observer Position: The approximate position of the individual who recorded the helicopter has been geolocated (referenced in accompanying imagery).
Assessment
This incident represents a case of misidentification of a law enforcement helicopter as a UAS by both media outlets and potentially airport personnel. While the actual presence of unauthorized UAS activity cannot be definitively ruled out, the widely circulated video evidence does not support the drone narrative presented in media reporting.
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