Mysterious Drone Sightings in Europe Echo New Jersey Drone Panic

Recently, drones have been spotted all over Europe—hundreds of them.

The sightings started in Poland, then spread to Romania and Sweden and on to almost a dozen countries in total.

A drone flies at night | Credit: Sussex Police

It seems likely that most of these reports are not actually drones, but are other nighttime objects like bright stars, planes on approach, or simple misinterpretations of lights in the night sky.

But it does appear that the initial sightings—and at least some of the newer ones—are legitimate.

Parallels with New Jersey Mystery Drones

We’ve seen this before: real drone sightings followed by a wave of mistaken sightings.

This is what happened in New Jersey late last year, when a series of real drone sightings at military bases led to a panic, with hundreds of sightings reported along the East Coast.

At its height, dozens of sightings were being reported every day. After the dust settled, the FAA issued a report that found the majority of sightings were either misidentified conventional aircraft, balloons, or other airborne objects, with no verified evidence of unauthorized drone operations.

[Related read: Drones at Night—How to Spot a Drone at Night, Drone Lights & More]

And it seems like the same thing is happening now.

As the number of drone sightings snowballs into the hundreds and spreads throughout Europe, we’re already seeing that many of them actually seem to be bright stars, planes on approach, or just misinterpretations of lights in the night sky.

The Europe Drone Sightings: Untangling Reality from Mistakes

Reports of unidentified drones began surfacing in late September, first over Poland and Romania, near the borders with Ukraine.

Within days, the sightings spread north and west, reaching as far as Scandinavia. In each case, locals described slow-moving lights crossing the sky—sometimes silent, sometimes accompanied by a faint hum—prompting investigations by both local authorities and NATO air defense teams.

Here’s a quick snapshot of where sightings have been reported so far, starting with the first sighting through to the most recent one:

• Poland. First sightings reported early September 2025 with multiple drones crossing into Polish airspace near the eastern border.
• Denmark. Drone activity around September 22-25, including sightings over military bases and airports leading to temporary airspace restrictions.
• Lithuania. Drone sightings near Vilnius airport and critical infrastructure noted in late September, raising security concerns.
• Finland. Drones spotted flying over the presidential palace and other strategic sites by early October, prompting increased airspace security measures.
• Estonia. NATO jets escorted Russian aircraft from Estonian airspace shortly after Polish sightings, with multiple drone detections near military sites.
• Romania. Debris fields found after suspected drone crashes near the Danube Delta in late September, consistent with prior Russian drone activities.
• Germany. Multiple drone sightings starting early October caused Munich airport closures and led authorities to enable police to shoot down unidentified drones.
• Belgium. Drones spotted near military bases in early October, resulting in temporary flight restrictions and security investigations.
• Norway. A reported drone sighting at Oslo Airport in late September triggered immediate security response and aviation protocol reviews.
• Sweden. Bright lights and drone-like sightings reported in southern regions during October, though some were later attributed to other aerial phenomena.
• The Netherlands. Several drone incursions disrupting air traffic near major urban areas reported throughout October, prompting increased counter-drone patrols.

Why Do These Sightings Happen?

Whew. That is a lot of countries—and a lot of sightings.

And some of them seem quite real, especially those along the Ukrainian border. But clearly many of them were mistakes.

The planet Jupiter has been mistaken for a drone in the past

So why do real sightings seem to spark a wave of mistaken ones?

The human brain plays a big role. When people expect to see drones at night—especially in tense moments like wartime—they start spotting them everywhere. A distant plane, a bright star, or even a moving satellite can suddenly look suspicious when national news is full of drone stories.

And social media adds fuel to the fire. A few blurry photos or videos can spread in hours, gathering likes, shares, and speculation before anyone has verified the footage. Once the idea takes hold that drones are overhead, confirmation bias kicks in, making every light in the sky further evidence of what people already believe to be true.

The Actual Drones Behind All These Sightings

Of course, this phenomenon doesn’t mean the reports should be dismissed outright. For all the confusion, some of the sightings in Europe really do appear to involve Russian drones.

In Poland, officials confirmed at least one debris field consistent with a surveillance drone that likely crossed from Ukraine. And Romania has reported several similar incidents near the Danube Delta, with wreckage matching the Shahed-type drones Russia has used in attacks on Ukrainian ports.

These incursions fit a broader pattern.

Russia has increasingly used low-cost UAVs to probe NATO air defenses and gather data on radar coverage near its western borders. Some analysts also believe these flights serve a psychological purpose—reminding nearby countries that the war’s reach can extend beyond Ukraine, even without a direct strike.

The targets vary. Some drones appear to be gathering intelligence on troop movements or logistics hubs that support Ukraine. And others may be testing electronic warfare responses or intentionally triggering alarms to gauge NATO coordination.

But whether it’s by design or by accident, the result is the same: a nervous continent watching the skies.

And the sightings probably aren’t over just yet. There will probably be many more reports before this dies down.