Drone incidents near UK military bases double year-on-year

The number of drone incidents near military bases in the UK has doubled in the last year, figures obtained by the BBC show.

There were 266 recorded events involving drones in 2025, a rise from the 126 reported in 2024.

Government sources have said that with some of those incidents they "can't rule out hostile state actors".

Defence Secretary John Healey said: "The doubling of rogue drones near military sites in the UK in the last year underlines the increasing and changing nature of the threats we face."

Military personnel do not currently have the legal power to shoot down drones, and instead rely on the police. The government is introducing legislation to change that, which will also allow the military to take action against drones operating underwater.

Healey added: "Through the Armed Forces Bill we're giving our military greater powers to take out and shoot down threatening drones near bases, and stepping up investment in counter-drone technology to keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad."

Existing protocol requires soldiers to divert drones or disrupt their GPS signal using counter-drone equipment. While the new powers are mostly focused on military sites, it could be extended to civilian locations such as airports.

Last year, multiple drones were spotted over four British air bases used by the US Air Force: RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall, in Suffolk, RAF Feltwell in Norfolk and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

The exact nature of the sightings remain unknown.

Stricter drone operating rules came into effect in the UK at the start of this year. Flier IDs are required for anyone flying a drone or model aircraft weighing at least 100g, down from 250g.

An uptick of drone incursions across Europe last year, including at commercial airports and power stations, was blamed on Russia's suspected programme of "hybrid warfare", almost four years into its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

A proposed European "drone wall", a defence system designed to detect and destroy rogue drones stretching from the Baltic states to the Black Sea, is expected to be operational in 2027, according to the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.