On 26 June 2017, a drone intersected a Ryanair plane at an altitude of around 500 m, during its final approach to land at Lisbon Airport. This was the 7th time a drone had intersected an aeroplane close to landing in Lisbon that month, and the 11th since the start of the year. Portuguese Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC) regulations outlaw such devices from flying above a height of 120 m and in airport take-off and landing areas. The country's Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Aircraft and Rail Accidents (GPIAAF) is working on a safety study in response to the number of incidents involving drones flying inside aeroplane trajectories.

The Council is due to discuss EU regulations on the flight and operation of unmanned aircraft. In view of the clear risks, can the Commission confirm that those regulations will not affect the Member States' ability to take action through more drastic and urgent measures, such as outlawing the use of drones in airport access corridors?