The appearance of drones near Dublin Airport ahead of President Zelenskyy’s arrival brings Ireland’s security situation to “new, dangerous level”, an aviation expert has warned. 

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan described the unidentified drones off the Irish coast as "generated for the purpose of putting pressure on EU and Ukrainian interests".

When asked about the risk the drones posed to his safety, President Zelenskyy replied that he had “become accustomed to living in these circumstances”. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, retired Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Byrne said people must realise Europe is in an era of threats and danger. 

“There's a malign set of actors out there who were able to interfere with civil aviation,” he said. 

“They put the lights on these drones and they fly them up and down. 

“Dublin's expense or experience last week was different than that; I think it's taken it to a new, dangerous level.” 

Lieutenant Colonel Byrne noted that given Dublin Airport has been closed before following drone sightings, he was surprised this did not happen this time. 

“Maybe we dodged a bullet because President Zelensky's aircraft was early on track,” he speculated. 

“The people doing this are very well planned; they know the approach path to Dublin.

“They know what they have to do and maybe we got away with it on this particular occasion.”

President Zelenskyy in Leinster House Dublin. Picture by: Maxwell’s Photography / Pool Image.

Given the increasing frequency of drone sightings, Lieutenant Colonel Byrne said he is concerned that many people might not know just how dangerous they are to planes. 

He added that a collision between a drone and an aeroplane would be “very serious”

“Even small drones weighing two kilos can take a chunk of an aircraft,” he said. 

“A very serious matter if they hit the cockpit, of course, and break the glass and so forth.

“If they get sucked into an engine, you're going to lose that engine for sure.”

Signs warning people not to fly drones. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Lieutenant Colonel Byrne urged anyone in the vicinity of an airport to contact the authorities immediately. 

“Let's say I was driving past Dublin Airport, which I do frequently… and I saw something like a drone, I would know what number to get onto the air traffic control system and tell them,” he said. 

“But most people not in the system might not know that - what do you do to pass this information on?”

Main image: A warning sign against the use of drones on the perimeter fencing at Dublin Airport. Picture by: PA Wire/PA Images.