Since early July, the Limburg Regio Hoofdstad police zone has been using SkeyDrone’s advanced drone detection system to protect the city of Hasselt and its more than 80,000 residents. With this system, Hasselt becomes the first Belgian city to be permanently safeguarded against unauthorised or illegal drone activity. The technology enhances public safety and enables the police to respond more quickly and effectively to violations and criminal drone use.
Each year, the police zone receives around one hundred reports from citizens concerning drones, often due to privacy concerns when drones fly over private homes. In addition, there have already been incidents involving drones dropping objects or being used in other criminal activities. Enforcement is also particularly challenging during events where drone flights are prohibited and in designated no-fly zones in and around Hasselt.
Police Chief Philip Pirard explains: “Without a detection system, it is nearly impossible to catch a drone pilot in the act. Thanks to SkeyDrone’s technology, we can now pinpoint the exact location of a pilot as soon as a report comes in and immediately dispatch a patrol. After a successful trial in 2024, we decided to invest in this system.”
An additional benefit is that the police zone’s own drone pilots can now operate more safely. During their missions, they can see the positions of other drones in the airspace, significantly reducing the risk of accidents.
Kristof Gilleman, Head of Product & Operations at SkeyDrone, adds: “We are proud to equip Hasselt as the first Belgian city with a permanent drone detection system. This is a major step toward safe and responsible drone use in urban environments. We hope Hasselt’s example will inspire other cities and municipalities to follow suit.”
The detection equipment is strategically installed at a central location in Hasselt, covering an area with a radius of over five kilometres. Since its deployment, 244 drone flights have been detected, 168 of which originated from emergency services such as the fire brigade and police. Twelve flights exceeded the maximum permitted height of 120 metres. The most striking violation involved a drone flying at a height of 406 metres, crossing the approach path of Kiewit Airport, which was active at the time.
