Cartagena airport issues warning over unauthorized drone flights

The administration of Rafael Núñez International Airport in Cartagena, Colombia, has issued an urgent alert following recent operational disruptions caused by unauthorized drone flights. The presence of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) near airport approach paths poses a direct threat to civil aviation.

When an unauthorized drone is detected, control towers must implement preventive airport closures and temporarily suspend takeoffs and landings. These measures can disrupt the itineraries of thousands of travelers. Authorities emphasized that violating restricted airspace endangers human lives and affects city connectivity.

Under Colombia's Aeronautical Regulation (RAC 100), operating drones within 6 kilometers of an airport perimeter is strictly prohibited. The regulation also dictates specific altitude limits for flights within a radius of 6 to 9 kilometers from the airport.