Drone-related violations during the May pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Fátima "reduced substantially" in comparison to 2023, the National Republican Guard (GNR), which started utilising an anti-drone technology a year ago, has disclosed. "This is an area that is regarded as a 'no-fly zone' [air exclusion area], 'drone' equipment cannot fly beyond those authorised […] by security forces and Civil Protection."


The GNR recognised five pilots and logged 20 unapproved drone flights during the pilgrimage on May 12 and 13 back in 2023. Two 'drones' were spotted in an unusual manner during a journey on 13 May, and one of them was intercepted. As Pedro Nogueira, the commander of the GNR Public Order Intervention Group, the Lieutenant Colonel explained, “We noticed that from last year to this year, the vast majority of people are already aware that they cannot fly [drones], therefore, the number of infringement situations has reduced substantially, which for us is relevant and it is very satisfactory”.


According to the colonel, the GNR's initial goal is to "publicise and signal, so that people can know that they cannot fly [drones]," but if they do, it will attempt to intercept the pilot and create the appropriate administrative offence report. Although the system can still "inhibit the signal from the drone", the commander of the GNR Public Order Intervention Group made it clear that this "is always the last resort" because it is uncertain how the gadget will behave.


The anti-drone system of the GNR is utilised in "events considered to be more complex and where there may be a greater risk associated with the use of drones," having been put into service a year ago. “In an area with a large accumulation of people, if a drone falls it will cause damage, it will jeopardise people's physical integrity”, the commander, stated adding that “the biggest concern is that people actually know that there are moments and areas where they cannot fly with this type of equipment because there are a set of associated risks”.