Eurofighters made a flight passage over Kalkar on a Friday.
In the skies above Kalkar, on August 8, 2023, two Eurofighters from the Tactical Air Force Wing 31 "Boelke" based in Nörvenich could be seen flying at low altitude, capturing the town in aerial photography. But why were these military jets chosen over drones for this task?
Drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) face significant regulatory restrictions near civilian airports and populated areas due to safety concerns. Civil aviation rules prohibit or tightly control drone flights within certain distances of airports to avoid interference with manned aircraft operations. This means that drone flights near civilian airports require special authorization and are often limited or banned outright.
In contrast, Eurofighters are manned military aircraft that operate under strict air traffic control and military coordination, allowing them more freedom to perform activities such as low-level aerial photography over restricted or controlled zones without the same limitations placed on UAVs. These aircraft can carry specialized equipment and fly under military directives that ensure safety and compliance with airspace regulations.
Public reports note Eurofighter flights over Kalkar and nearby areas in low-level flight, possibly for training, reconnaissance, or photography missions, but no explicit official statement on why drones are not used is provided in the sources. However, it is reasonable to infer that the stringent UAV restrictions near civilian airports and the operational flexibility of manned military jets within regulated airspace are the primary reasons for using Eurofighters instead of drones over Kalkar.
These high-speed, twin-engine aircraft, part of the German Air Force's fleet of 138 Eurofighter Typhoons, can accelerate extremely quickly, reaching speeds of over 2,000 kilometers per hour, twice the speed of sound. While no further low-level flights are planned at this time, keep an eye on the skies for these impressive machines.
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In civil aviation, drones face stringent regulations near airports due to safety concerns, necessitating special authorization and potentially causing flight bans. Being manned aircraft under military control, Eurofighters can perform low-level aerial photography over controlled zones with flexibility, avoiding the same limitations as drones.
