Zielona Góra Airport, officially known as Zielona Góra-Babimost Airport, is a small airport serving the Lubusz region in western Poland. The airport is located in the town of Babimost, approximately 30 km north-east of the centre of Zielona Góra.

The airport has one passenger terminal and one 2,500-metre-long runway to handle medium-sized aircraft The airport was opened in 1957 as a military facility and was later converted to a civilian airport. It has nearly 4,000 operations per year, while in the last year (2023) nearly 54,000 passengers passed through Babmimost Port.

In an era of increasing drone use, airports face a major new challenge. Zielona Góra – Babimost Airport was one of the first in Poland to take up this challenge, implementing our advanced HAWK anti-drone system.

At the outset, it is worth mentioning why security against drone incidents is so important for airports:

– flight safety: even a small drone can cause catastrophic consequences in the event of a collision with an aircraft.

– scale of the threat: within just two months of implementing the HAWK system, around 100 drones were detected within the port, 60-70% of which were unregistered. At larger airports, close to 100 incidents per month are registered.

– critical infrastructure protection: airports are critical facilities that require the highest level of protection, as shown by recent reports from armed conflicts around the world.

– incident prevention: the system enables not only the detection of a drone, but also the location of its operator, which helps with prevention to guard against extremely costly incidents – typically valued at six- and seven-figure sums (e.g. the Gatwick incident in 2018).

We approached the implementation of our solution in a methodical way, implementing RF detectors, radars and high-sensitivity cameras around the airport site. Data from the detectors is integrated in real time by our proprietary HAWK C2 monitoring software. Data fusion is vital when monitoring such a large area.

Flexibility of operation: HAWK can operate automatically or be controlled by the operator, ensuring optimal adaptation to the situation. In addition to detection and monitoring, our system also has extensions with the ability to safely neutralise drones through jamming or spoofing techniques.

The implementation of the HAWK system at Babimost demonstrates the importance of a proactive approach to aviation safety. It not only increases the level of security, but also the attractiveness of the airport for carriers and passengers. Our system has undergone rigorous testing by the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PAŻP), so we can guarantee that the operation of each device does not interfere with navigation systems and equipment supporting the work of pilots, navigators or airport staff.

As a leader in anti-drone systems, we are proud to be able to contribute to the safety of Polish airports. We believe that our solutions will become a standard not only in civilian facilities, but also in military bases, providing comprehensive airspace protection.