News

HAPE project delivered the third week of training on Drone Operation to Kosovo Police (KP) and Kosovo Customs. This was the first-ever specialized training delivered by very highly trained French experts – 2 were trainers of trainers for drone and anti-drone units in the French Police Academy and 1 was a technical training expert and drone operator-pilot from a crowd management unit in France. They were also involved in ensuring the safety of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The training participants consisted of 5 policemen from KP Drone Unit, 1 from KP anti-drug unit and 2 agents from Kosovo Customs. Participants demonstrated a high level of interest and motivation. The training covered a wide range of essential knowledge and operational and technical skills for the professional use of drones for KP and Customs. The aim of the training was to train a group of pilots and operator-pilots, with high professionalism and technical know-how. The objective of the training is to certify the participants as drone pilots and operator-pilots, enhancing their practical skills in the operational use of drones for crowd management and judicial investigations. The five-week training program is taking place at Camp Vrella and in the city of Prishtina. The first one-week module focused on the study of drone legislation and regulations, including EU civil and military standards and KFOR regulations for Kosovo’s airspace. The second two-week module enabled all participants to become certified drone pilots. The third and final two-week module, scheduled for the end of October and November 2025, will focus on operational exercises in crowd management and the use of drones in judicial investigations. This activity reflects HAPE’s continued commitment to strengthening operational capacity and inter-agency cooperation among KP and other Law enforcement agencies (LEAs), in line with European standards for public safety.