The Swedish government is commissioning a new inquiry into how drones can be used within Swedish civil defence and how protection against hostile drones can be strengthened. The assignment has been given to former Swedish Air Force Commander Mats Helgesson and is to be reported no later than 8 October 2027.

According to the government, experiences from the war in Ukraine and an increased number of hybrid threats in Europe have demonstrated that drones have become an increasingly important part of both civil protection and modern warfare.

– Sweden needs stronger defences against hostile drones. Critical societal infrastructure, government agencies and the defence industry need better protection and increased defensive capability. This is a lesson drawn from the warfare conducted by Russia and Iran. The government therefore wishes to review how Sweden can increase its drone and counter-drone capability within civil defence, says Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin in a press release.

The inquiry will, among other things, analyse which parts of civil defence should be covered by new regulations on drone use, propose how civilian actors can use drones in a safe and effective manner, and identify which actors should be granted authority to detect and intervene against threatening drones. The assignment also covers the need for technical countermeasures, such as detection systems and jamming capability.

– The war in Ukraine has shown how rapidly warfare changes. Sweden must not fall behind. Drones are now a fundamental part of our security, both for civil defence and for the protection of critical societal infrastructure. We need better opportunities to use drones where they strengthen preparedness, and at the same time stronger protection against hostile drones, says Gulan Avci, defence policy spokesperson for the Liberal Party (Liberalerna).

The government emphasises that drones could play an important role in areas including rescue services, healthcare, energy supply and transport, while protection against drones used for sabotage or intelligence gathering also needs to be strengthened.