Two drones strayed into Finnish territory amid strong GPS interference

Two unmanned aerial vehicles crashed in Finland on Sunday while the country experienced significant GPS signal disruptions, Finnish public broadcaster Yle reports. Authorities have not confirmed the cause but are investigating whether electronic interference played a role in the drones going off course.

Ukraine has suggested the drones likely ended up in Finland due to Russian “electronic interference,” according to Reuters. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo stated there is no evidence the drones were intentionally sent to Finland, while the Finnish Defence Forces have increased air defence readiness.

GPS disruptions were particularly severe in the Gulf of Finland and central Finland on Sunday, data from the Gpswise service shows. The service, which analyses aircraft positioning data, recorded widespread anomalies in the region. Other GPS monitoring platforms also reported elevated interference levels in Finland last week.

Defence Forces Major General Timo Herranen acknowledged that technological interference with the drones was possible but declined to confirm whether it had occurred. “Nothing indicates these drones were deliberately directed at Finland,” Orpo said at a joint press briefing.

GPS interference affecting aviation has risen sharply since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, causing flight cancellations and landing difficulties. Finland’s Transport and Communications Agency, Traficom, has received more GPS disruption reports in early 2026 than in all of 2025.

One drone crashed near Luumäki, where locals reported hearing an explosion on Sunday morning. Defence Forces personnel and police quickly secured the area, and fighter jets were observed circling overhead. A second drone landed near Oravala in Kouvola, where authorities have since cleared debris and lifted restrictions.

Investigations into the drones continue, with defence officials emphasising that factors other than signal interference—such as technical failures, darkness, or fog—could also cause a drone to deviate from its planned route.