Potential drone threat
What you need to do if you receive an emergency warning about a potentially dangerous drone (an unmanned aircraft)
Public authorities may issue an emergency warning if there is a threat to life, health or significant property. An emergency warning about a drone threat is usually issued as a precautionary measure and may cover a wide area. When deciding the dangerous area, the main priority is the safety of people and property. The route of a drone cannot be predicted in advance. For this reason, it is important to follow the authorities’ instructions.
Follow the instructions of the authorities. Emergency warnings give the most important instructions first. The authorities may provide more detailed advice and information later.
If you receive an emergency warning about a potentially dangerous drone
Go indoors.
If you are indoors
- Stay indoors and keep away from windows and doors.
- Stay in the middle of the building, in a room with solid walls.
If you are in a vehicle
- Leave the vehicle and go indoors.
- The driver must make sure the parked vehicle does not block emergency vehicles.
If you cannot get indoors
- Find the safest place possible where you can stay behind walls or other barriers.
- If you are in wooded or open terrain and see a drone, move below ground level if possible, for example into a ditch or hollow.
Moving outdoors in the area specified in the emergency warning may be dangerous. It is very important that you avoid going outside and stay indoors whenever possible. Emergency warnings are kept in force for as short a time as possible to minimise disruption to society.
If you work in a role that is critical to society and need to get to work, follow your employer’s instructions and processes. Check with your employer in advance what to do in an emergency.
The authorities will issue a new emergency warning with an all-clear message when the danger has passed.
The all‑clear is announced through the same channels as the emergency warning. Emergency warnings are published in the 112 Suomi app, on the radio, on teletext page 112 and, if necessary, on television. They may also be shared through other channels such as the Finnish Broadcasting Company’s Yle app, the 112.fi website, pelastustoimi.fi, yle.fi and the Emergency Response Centre Agency’s Facebook page.
If the authorities have used a siren to sound a public warning signal, the all‑clear signal is a continuous sound lasting one minute.
What should I do if I find a crashed drone?
If you find a suspected drone or drone parts on the ground, treat them like a possible explosive.
- Do not touch the drone or go near it. The drone may be damaged and could explode easily. Move to a safe distance, at least 150 metres away.
- Call 112 and report what you found to the operator at the emergency response centre. Answer the operator’s questions and follow the instructions.
- Warn others nearby. Keep others away from the object.
- Do not share your location or photos of the drone on social media.
Do not go near an unmanned aircraft.
What should I do if I see or hear a drone?
- Even if there is no official warning, be cautious and assess the situation.
- Do not approach the drone or try to determine its origin yourself. Keep a safe distance, at least 150 metres away.
- Go indoors, especially if the drone looks unstable or flies low.
- Avoid open areas near the drone. If you are in wooded or open terrain, move below ground level if possible.
- Once you are in a safe place, follow updates from the authorities.
Call the emergency number 112 when
- see a drone in a no-fly zone
- see a drone near a critical site, such as a power plant, airport, port, water treatment plant, or a major telecommunications or official building
- find a crashed drone on the ground.
Please do not call 112 for general questions or requests for information.
Answers to questions about emergency warnings in drone incidents
Despite drone incidents, Finland’s security situation remains stable. Finland is not facing a military threat.
This page brings together answers to the most common questions about emergency warnings in situations where the Ministry of the Interior’s rescue authorities would issue an emergency warning about a potential airborne threat. This page will be updated as required.
A drone is an unmanned aircraft controlled remotely or flown partly or fully automatically.
Drones are used in many activities, such as photography and filming, surveying, measurements and hobbies. They also support rescue and search operations, infrastructure inspections and official duties. Their use has also increased in military conflicts. For example, drones can carry out remote strikes or transport explosives.
Read more:
Questions and answers – drone incidents | Finnish Defence Forces (in Finnish and Swedish)
Drones that have strayed into Finland are linked to Ukraine’s defensive action against Russia. This has increased drone activity in areas close to Finland. There is no immediate military threat to Finland at present, but the effects of Russia’s war of aggression are also visible here. Public authorities monitor the situation at all times and have stepped up their efforts to detect and counter drones. They are prepared to alert the public if necessary.
The rescue authorities decide whether to issue an emergency warning, based on threat information provided by the Finnish Defence Forces.
Emergency warnings are published in the 112 Suomi app, on the radio, on teletext page 112 and, if needed, on television. Authorities also use other channels such as the Finnish Broadcasting Company’s Yle app, the websites 112.fi, pelastustoimi.fi and yle.fi, and the Emergency Response Centre Agency’s Facebook page. Or they can use a public warning siren to sound a public warning signal.
Read more: Emergency warnings
An emergency warning about a drone threat is usually issued as a precautionary measure and may cover a wide area. The main priority in deciding the dangerous area is to protect people's safety. The authorities cannot predict the drone’s exact route in advance, so it is important to follow the authorities’ instructions.
In Finland, the authority in overall incident command leads communications. The rescue authorities issue the emergency warning about a potential drone threat, based on a threat assessment by the Finnish Defence Forces.
The Finnish Defence Forces, the police, Finnish Border Guard and the rescue department of the relevant wellbeing services county communicate about their operations independently or jointly. Keep checking and following the authorities’ instructions.
When an emergency warning is issued, follow the instructions and wait patiently for updates. In situations such as a drone threat, it may take time before the authorities can provide more detailed information. However, the authorities are managing the situation at all times.
The aim is always to provide updates as quickly as possible. Emergency warnings remain in force for as short a time as possible to minimise disruption to society. If the situation continues, the authorities may issue a follow‑up warning when they are able to do so.
The purpose of an emergency warning is to give essential instructions for how to act in a dangerous situation and to be as clear as possible.
An emergency warning about a drone threat is usually issued as a precautionary measure and may cover a wide area. The main priority in deciding the dangerous area is to protect people's safety. The situation can change quickly and the authorities cannot predict the drone’s exact route in advance. For these reasons, it is important to follow the authorities’ instructions.
Moving outdoors in the area specified in the emergency warning may be dangerous. It is very important that you avoid going outside and stay indoors whenever possible. Wait until the authorities issue an all-clear message.
If you work in a role that is critical to society and must travel to work, follow your employer’s instructions and procedures. Check with your employer in advance what to do in an emergency.
Civil defence shelters would be activated on the orders of the authorities if there was a threat of war. The shelters will not be activated suddenly.
Suojautumisaika on usein lyhyt, todennäköisesti vain muutamia tunteja. Viranomainen tiedottaa, kun vaara on ohi, samoissa kanavissa kuin vaaratiedote on aluksi annettu. Vaaratiedote julkaistaan 112 Suomi -sovelluksessa, radiossa, teksti-tv:n sivulla 112 sekä tarvittaessa televisiossa. Vaaratiedote julkaistaan lisäksi esimerkiksi Yle-sovelluksessa, verkkosivuilla 112.fi, pelastustoimi.fi, yle.fi ja Hätäkeskuslaitoksen Facebook-sivulla.
Jos vaarasta on ilmoitettu soittamalla väestöhälyttimillä yleinen vaaramerkki, annetaan vaaran ollessa ohi minuutin mittainen tasainen vaara ohi -äänimerkki.
Moving outdoors in the area specified in the emergency warning may be dangerous. It is very important that you avoid going outside and stay indoors whenever possible. Wait until the authorities issue an all-clear message. The warning remains in force for as short a time as possible. You can return to normal activities once the authorities issue an all-clear.
Moving outdoors in the area specified in the emergency warning may be dangerous. It is very important that you avoid going outside and stay indoors whenever possible. Wait until authorities issue an all-clear message before using public transport.
Check the operator’s website if you need to see how public transport is affected.
Preparing for drone incidents
What you can do in advance
Talk with your family and friends about what to do in emergency situations. Think through how your family and friends should act if there is an immediate threat from the air.
Make sure the 112 Suomi app is installed on your phone and on the phones of your family and friends, and that it has permission to use all features. Open the app regularly and ensure that the latest version is installed.
Check with your employer in advance what to do in an emergency.
Preparedness by building owners and holders and business and industrial operators
Residential buildings, schools, healthcare facilities and other public buildings, along with every workplace, need to plan how to prepare for and act in emergencies.
Even if all buildings are not subject to the obligation to draw up an emergency plan, the obligations regarding independent preparedness apply to all buildings and operators.
Where an emergency plan is required, planning for different dangerous situations must be included in that plan (Rescue Act 379/2011, section 15).
Section 14 Independent preparedness
Building owners and holders and business and industrial operators shall for their part:
- prevent fires and other dangerous situations;
- prepare for the protection of persons, property and the environment in dangerous situations;
- prepare for extinguishing fires and taking other such rescue action which they are capable of performing independently;
- take measures to ensure safe exit during fires and in other dangerous situations and to facilitate rescue operations (Rescue Act 379/2011).
Read more:
Authorities’ instructions for when you see a drone
