Part 2 of 2 Parts (Please read Part 1 first)
There were three one-line reports of drone activity from last year. These did not give any location. One of them states that “red light over area, sounded like a drone” without giving any further information. Another report described a pilot and two others operating a drone which was not inside a no-fly zone. The third report states that, “Member of public who saw a white van and a male, also observed two lights in the sky and believed they were drones.”
A passing detail in another report from the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) indicates that there was a report of a swarm at an unnamed nuclear licensed site in the U.K. This incident occurred between January of 2014 and July 2020 according to the regulatory agency which did not give any details. The ONR refused to release any additional information after considering the public interest but deciding it was outweighed by national security. It is not clear if the group of drones reported at Capenhurst is the same incident that is being kept secret by the ONR.
These reports of drone activity come at a time of increasing tensions between the West and China and Russia. Each of these countries has been linked to concerted physical and cyber spying operation in the U.K.
Last April, a source told the Sunday People newspaper that Chinese spies in the U.K., have been targeting “very sensitive establishments” such as military bases and nuclear power stations with UAVs.
In July of 2020, the potential threat was demonstrated in the U.S. when a swarm of drones was spotted over a nuclear reactor in Arizona on two consecutive nights. Official reports state that the incident at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station remains unsolved. Six drones were reported each night.
Drones and any other type of unmanned aircraft are banned from flying the airspace over nuclear installations by the U.K. Air Navigation Order 2016. A spokesperson for the MoD has said that “We have robust security measures in place at all defense sites, including nuclear bases, to respond to all such incidents. While we cannot comment on specific security arrangements or procedures, we continue to invest in a range of measures to tackle future threats, including counter-drone technology.”
The evolving use of drones has been demonstrated on the battlefield in Ukraine. This includes civilian model drones adapted for reconnaissance. An online news site has previously reported that the U.K. government has joined with the private and academic sectors in developing the technology.
A CNC spokesperson said, “Drones are an advancing technology utilized within both the nuclear and policing industries. The evolvement of detection and anti-drone systems is continuous, along with changes in legislation, and awareness packages for both the hobbyist and legitimate operator. As anti-drone technologies develop, the CNC actively reviews and assesses the benefits. While not commenting on individual reports, to our knowledge, there has been no confirmed malicious use of a drone in relation to the UK’s civil nuclear sites.”
The CNC forwarded the query about the reported swarm to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (DBEIS). DBEIS said, “Any criminal investigations are led by the relevant local police force. It would not be appropriate to comment further.”