Wind-swept drone shuts down operations at Gran Canaria Airport

The Guardia Civil's Las Palmas Comandancia reported on 30 July that on Saturday 25 July it intercepted a drone inside the restricted zone of Gran Canaria Airport, after its owner had been flying it recreationally without authorisation on a beach near the aerodrome. The incident forced a temporary suspension of flight operations on safety grounds.

According to the armed institute's press release, strong wind gusts were affecting the area during the flight, causing the operator to lose complete control of the aircraft. The drone subsequently drifted into the airport perimeter.

A threat to operational safety

The Guardia Civil stated that the incident "created a serious risk" to the operational safety of air traffic, as it represented a "potential interference" with the manoeuvres of aircraft operating at the time. The beach where the flight was taking place is subject to restrictions due to its proximity to take-off and landing routes.

As a precautionary measure, and in order to guarantee the safety of operations, flight activity had to be temporarily suspended until it could be confirmed that no risk to air navigation existed and that full safety conditions had been restored. According to information released, once any danger had been ruled out, operations were able to resume.

Sources consulted differ slightly on how long the disruption lasted. Public broadcaster RTVC reported that the drone's presence forced operations to be restricted "for a few minutes". None of the verified sources provide figures on flights diverted or delayed during the incident.

No data from emergency services

Available sources attribute the information exclusively to the Guardia Civil, through the Las Palmas Comandancia and its Equipo Pegaso, a unit specialising in drone use enforcement. The material provided contains no record of involvement or statements from other emergency services such as 112 or Salvamento Marítimo in connection with this incident.

According to Canarias7, the Guardia Civil indicated that the drone's owner "lacked the necessary permits and knowledge for its use". RTVC reported, along the same lines, that the user "did not have the training required to pilot" it and that the use of such devices is prohibited in the area.

Referral to the aviation safety authority

Once the circumstances of the incident had been established, the Guardia Civil referred the matter to the competent aviation safety authority so that any administrative proceedings warranted by the alleged breach of current regulations on unmanned aircraft could be initiated.

Equipo Pegaso reminded the public that, alongside the necessary registrations and authorisations, there are official apps and websites that must be consulted before carrying out operations or recreational flights, as they provide information on the requirements and restrictions in force in each area.

In this case, the drone, given its characteristics, did not require specific pilot training certified by the Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Aérea (AESA). Nevertheless, the agency recommends that all drone pilots obtain a theoretical knowledge certificate in subcategory A1/A3 — a free online course provided by AESA itself that leads to a certificate valid across Europe.

A precedent in 2024

This is not the first time a drone has disrupted operations at Gran Canaria Airport. On 12 April 2024, a drone near the aerodrome forced air traffic to be halted for more than an hour and a half, with 14 flights diverted to other airports in the Canary Islands, as Aena reported at the time. On that occasion, the drone's presence was reported by an aircraft crew and verified by airport staff.