Colombian authorities have seized and safely deactivated a commercial drone carrying improvised explosive materials just 5.4 kilometers from Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport and the nearby Military Air Transport Command (CATAM), raising fresh security concerns in the capital three weeks before the country’s May 31 presidential election.
The discovery marks a significant escalation from recent unauthorized drone sightings that twice forced temporary flight suspensions at El Dorado, Colombia’s busiest airport, and highlights growing fears that tactics once largely confined to conflict zones in the southwest and Catatumbo region are now reaching the capital.
According to preliminary police and military reports, the device was located in the locality of Kennedy, near the Río Bogotá, after a security alert issued by prosecutors in Popayán, Cauca, prompted specialized units of the Colombian Air Force (FAC) and National Police to track suspicious coordinates in southern Bogotá.
Authorities found what appeared to be a makeshift encampment before locating the commercial drone, its battery and an explosive charge separated from the fuselage.
Anti-explosives officers later confirmed the device had been modified with a non-conventional fiber-optic guidance system, a method increasingly used by illegal armed groups to evade electronic signal jammers designed to disable unmanned aircraft.
Investigators said the drone carried approximately 258 grams of C4 explosive material inside a PVC tube fitted with an improvised detonator.
The device was safely neutralized by National Police explosives experts and transferred to the Attorney General’s Office – Fiscalía General – for forensic analysis and the opening of a criminal investigation.
Authorities have not publicly identified those responsible or confirmed the intended target, but officials noted the location placed the drone within minutes of both El Dorado International Airport and CATAM, one of Colombia’s most strategic military aviation facilities.
Security analysts say the use of fiber-optic spools as a guidance mechanism resembles tactics recently documented in Catatumbo and southwestern Colombia, particularly among the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla and FARC dissident factions under the command of alias “Iván Mordisco.”
A similar drone equipped with the same system was discovered in Popayán on April 25 during a wave of attacks blamed on FARC dissidents in Cauca, while another was found the same day in Villavicencio, the departmental capital of Meta.
The appearance of such devices in Bogotá has raised alarm among security officials, particularly given the proximity to civilian and military aviation infrastructure.
Pilots and aviation experts warn that even small commercial drones can cause catastrophic damage if they collide with an aircraft during takeoff or landing. A drone carrying explosives near an airport runway significantly increases the potential for a large-scale tragedy.
The discovery also comes at a politically sensitive moment, with Colombia entering the final weeks before its presidential election on May 31, as security and public order remain dominant campaign issues amid rising violence in the departments of Antioquia, Chocó, and Norte de Santander.
The leftist government of President Gustavo Petro has faced intense criticism over deteriorating security conditions, particularly following road bombing attributed to illegal armed groups in Cauca, Valle del Cauca, Nariño and Catatumbo, where the use of drones for surveillance and attacks has become increasingly common.
Last month, drone sightings near El Dorado airport twice forced authorities to suspend all air operations, disrupting domestic and international flights and exposing vulnerabilities near the country’s principal air gateway.
On April 30, Aerocivil halted airport operations after the Colombian Aerospace Force confirmed the presence of a drone in the Engativá district near the airport perimeter. Two aircraft were forced to carry out missed approaches, including an international LATAM Airlines Boeing 787 arriving from Santiago, Chile, while another domestic flight was diverted to Armenia, Quindío.
Just two days earlier, on April 28, another drone was detected near El Dorado, triggering a 45-minute suspension of takeoffs and landings while military personnel deployed anti-drone systems and visual searches.
Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez later confirmed that operations had been temporarily canceled because of the possible drone sighting, although no confirmed target was found.
Aerocivil has repeatedly warned that unauthorized drone activity near airports represents a grave threat to aviation safety and can result in criminal prosecution.
Thursday’s discovery, however, suggests the threat may extend far beyond operational disruption.
For Bogotá, the concern is no longer simply rogue recreational drones interfering with airport traffic, but the possibility that explosive-equipped devices linked to Colombia’s armed conflict are now within reach of the nation’s capital – and its most critical infrastructure.
Colombia’s busiest airport, Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport, was forced to suspend operations early on Thursday after authorities detected a drone near the runway approach path, marking the second disruption in the same week and raising renewed concerns over aviation security at one of Latin America’s busiest air hubs.
The latest incident occurred at 5:20 a.m. local time when Colombia’s Aerospace Force confirmed the presence of an unauthorized drone in the Engativá district, near the airport’s operational perimeter, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (Aerocivil).
Authorities immediately activated emergency safety protocols, temporarily halting landings and departures while security teams assessed the airspace.
“A drone was detected near El Dorado airport in the Engativá sector. Two aircraft were forced to carry out missed approaches, a standard maneuver that guarantees operational safety,” Aerocivil said in a statement.
One of the affected aircraft was an international LATAM Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner arriving from Santiago, Chile, according to local media and flight tracking platform Flightradar24. The aircraft, which had departed Santiago late on Wednesday night and was scheduled to land in Bogotá around 4:30 a.m., was forced to circle above the capital before being cleared to land.
A second domestic Avianca flight also experienced disruption and was diverted to El Edén Airport in Armenia, Quindío, after it was unable to complete its descent into Bogotá.
Aerocivil said normal operations resumed at 5:44 a.m., after authorities secured the area and determined conditions were safe for aircraft movements.
“The improper use of drones near airports represents a serious risk to aviation safety,” the agency said, urging travelers to remain in contact with their airlines regarding possible schedule changes.
The incident follows a similar disruption on Tuesday night, when airport operations were suspended for approximately 45 minutes after another drone was detected flying above El Dorado’s international platform.
That alert was issued at approximately 6:36 p.m., prompting an immediate suspension of takeoffs and landings while anti-drone systems and visual inspections were deployed by aviation authorities and military personnel from CATAM, Bogotá’s military air transport command.
The airport concessionaire Opain and Aerocivil said the inspection protocols were necessary to ensure “an obstacle-free area” before flights could resume.
Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez later confirmed on social media platform X that operations had been halted due to a possible drone sighting and said military anti-drone mechanisms were activated, although no confirmed target was ultimately found.
“The situation was addressed immediately by the aeronautical authorities and the security devices in place, allowing normal operations to continue,” Sánchez said.
The repeated incidents have intensified scrutiny over security vulnerabilities surrounding El Dorado, which handles more than 35 million passengers annually and serves as Colombia’s principal international gateway.
Unauthorized drone activity near airports is prohibited under Colombian aviation regulations because of the risk of collision with commercial aircraft, particularly during takeoff and landing phases when planes are most vulnerable. Pilots and aviation experts warn that even small consumer drones can cause catastrophic damage if they strike engines, cockpits or critical control surfaces.
The back-to-back disruptions have also raised concerns over whether current detection and enforcement systems are sufficient to prevent repeat incursions near strategic infrastructure.
El Dorado has increasingly faced operational pressures in recent months, including weather-related disruptions, runway congestion and recent investigations into near-miss incident on April 19 involving two international flagship carriers.
Thursday’s early-morning shutdown caused delays for both arriving and departing passengers, with travelers reporting uncertainty inside terminals and pilots informing passengers that security protocols, rather than airline operational issues, were behind the disruptions.
Authorities have not yet identified the drone operator involved in either of this week’s incidents, and investigations remain ongoing.
Under Colombian law, unauthorized drone operations near airports can result in significant financial penalties and potential criminal investigations if public safety is endangered.
For now, aviation officials say stricter vigilance is essential.
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