Photo: Karlis Miksons / Shutterstock.com A small drone that took off from Kalocsa and headed toward Paks triggered a rapid response from the Hungarian Defense Forces after military radar detected it, according to a statement shared by Defense Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi.
According to the account, described by the minister as a "satrange alert", the incident happened in the morning (Sunday, August 30) when a man was reportedly testing the small aircraft in Kalocsa. The drone then flew toward Paks, the country's nuclear plant, prompting Hungarian defense forces to respond.
The plant has special protection status, and civilian aircraft are prohibited from getting within two miles of the site at altitudes lower than 20,000 feet.
Military radars detected the aircraft and a pair of Gripen fighter jets was scrambled to investigate.
A few minutes later, the small aircraft made a forced landing near Gerjen, in a sunflower field. The fighter jets located the damaged drone and remained overhead until a rescue helicopter and ground rescue teams arrived.
Police and other relevant authorities also attended the scene, where an inspection and investigation were launched.
The statement did not indicate that the drone posed a confirmed security threat, and the circumstances surrounding its flight and subsequent forced landing remain under investigation.
Importantly, Ruszin-Szendi said that, based on the information available at the time, no one was injured.
The episode nevertheless highlighted the Hungarian military's ability to detect and respond to an unidentified or unexpectedly operating aircraft.
"The events clearly show what readiness means in practice: to detect, react, identify, and help immediately," Ruszin-Szendi wrote.
The incident also demonstrates the role of Hungary's air surveillance and rapid-response capabilities in dealing with small unmanned aircraft operating unexpectedly in controlled or sensitive areas.
The Hungarian Defense Forces operate a fleet of JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft, which are used for air policing and national airspace protection. The rapid deployment of the fighters in this case underlines the readiness maintained by Hungary for potential airspace incidents.