In a city already in a heightened state of alert, word that at least five drones flew over Paris landmarks last night have raised new concerns about security and regulation of the aerial gadgets.
According to The Local, drones were spotted flying over the U.S. embassy, the Eiffel Tower, the Place de la Concorde, and Les Invalides military museum. The drone flights took place between midnight and 6 a.m. Paris time.
“It could be a coordinated action, but we don’t know for now,” a police source told the Local. “We did everything to try to catch the operators, but they were not found,” another source said.
There have been other mysterious drone flights in recent months, including one that flew over the Elysée Palace and several that flew over French nuclear plants.
June 5th: The AI Audit in NYC
Join us next week in NYC to engage with top executive leaders, delving into strategies for auditing AI models to ensure fairness, optimal performance, and ethical compliance across diverse organizations. Secure your attendance for this exclusive invite-only event.
However, the latest drone sightings come just a few weeks after a brace of January attacks left 17 people dead at the Charlie Hebdo magazine office and a kosher grocery store in Paris. Armed troops are still a frequent sight patrolling Jewish neighborhoods and the city’s landmarks.
The Local notes that French law forbids small private drones from flying over sensitive areas like nuclear power plants and other crowded public spaces, including most cities.
