exercising independent legal powers to respond to threats, including those posed by drones,” he said. The Home Office told Advance that
it works with government departments, police, the military and the scientific community to understand emerging drone and counter-drone technologies and develop the capabilities and legislation needed to respond. That confirms responsibility
is shared across a network of organisations, but does not identify a single operational chain of command for every incident, particularly above privately operated infrastructure. The response will depend on the site, the nature of the intrusion and the level of threat.
Prisons illustrate why technology alone is not 0enough. Venables’ report Dark Skies: Criminal Drone Operations Targeting Prisons examines drone- enabled contraband smuggling and recommends stronger deterrents, including restricting convicted offenders’ future access to drone technology.
“Empowering the judiciary to impose mandatory disqualification orders preventing individuals from owning, operating or facilitating the use of drones following relevant convictions would be a meaningful step,” he said. Detection and jamming may
provide tactical options, but legislation, enforcement, intelligence sharing and deterrence also matter.
Beyond the perimeter The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have shown how quickly commercially available drones can evolve into systems used for reconnaissance, disruption and attack. European governments are also examining their potential use in wider hybrid campaigns against military bases and critical infrastructure.
In July 2026, the International Institute for Strategic Studies examined suspicious drone activity across Europe. Germany has since announced a joint national drone defence centre bringing together military and civilian authorities.
Venables has proposed a similar Joint Airspace Command Cell for the UK, arguing that a central coordinating body could connect information held by police, infrastructure operators, regulators, security agencies and the military, while providing a clearer route for escalating serious incidents. The Defence Investment Plan has committed £750 million to counter- drone capabilities for homeland and overseas defence. Venables believes the UK already possesses “a comprehensive and adaptable menu of tactical options” to counter small and large uncrewed systems. The difficulty lies in applying the
appropriate response to the threat while ensuring it remains safe, lawful and proportionate.
When the threat escalates At the higher end of the spectrum, an adversary may use larger one-way attack systems against energy sites, ports, communications networks or transport hubs.
Autumn 2026 | Advance 39
Photo credit: eriksvoboda/
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