Drone sightings disrupt operations at Reagan National and Brussels airports

Unauthorized drone sightings have caused operational disruptions at major airports in the United States and Belgium.

At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, flight operations were suspended for approximately 20 minutes on a Wednesday night after two pilots reported seeing a drone over an active runway and taxiway. The incident occurred in highly restricted airspace near the White House, the Capitol, and the Pentagon. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the pause in departures, and the FBI has been notified to investigate the illegal activity. Airport personnel were unable to locate the device.

Similarly, Brussels Airport experienced a drone sighting near its flight paths and runway perimeter. Air traffic control services, managed by Skeyes, confirmed the presence of an unmanned aerial vehicle through both visual observation and digital detection systems. While the sighting prompted a mandatory 30-minute operational suspension and some flight diversions to neighboring airports like Liège, officials reported that no major delays or cancellations occurred during the most recent Saturday night incident. This follows a pattern of similar security concerns in Belgium throughout late 2025.