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The DA42 Guardian can be used as an UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) or OPV (Optionally Piloted Vehicle) (Photo: Diamond Airborne Sensing)

EU looks to 'hybrid drones' for legal shortcut on migration

Hybrid aerial surveillance drones are being considered by the EU border agency, Frontex, for future operations with member states.

The kit, so-called optionally piloted aircrafts (OPA), can carry a pilot but can also be operated by remote control.

They are useful because they circumvent EU laws which prohibit fully unmanned drones from flying in commercial airspace.

Flying unmanned craft next to normal passenger or cargo planes over the EU would require amending numerous na...

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Author Bio

Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010.

The DA42 Guardian can be used as an UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) or OPV (Optionally Piloted Vehicle) (Photo: Diamond Airborne Sensing)

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Author Bio

Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010.

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