Aerial threat – steps for informed action
Potential aerial threat – “Be alert!”
When do the Defence Forces alert: there is a possibility that drones or other dangerous aerial devices may end up in the region but there is no direct danger. For instance, a drone that will probably fly over the region and will not pose a direct threat to the population has strayed into or is entering the Estonian airspace.
Instructions
- You get an EE-ALERT alert about a potential aerial threat by SMS and/or in the app.
- It is not necessary to shelter. Live your everyday life, which also means children go to the kindergarten/school and adults go to work.
- Be alert about your surroundings and ready to shelter when moving outside, in case the situation changes.
- Be ready to shelter if you notice a threat, get an order to shelter or hear the sirens.
- Keep a charged phone at hand and follow the instructions you receive.
- If your child is at kindergarten or school, a loved one in a care home, he is under the care of the staff there and it is not necessary to bring him home. An educational or care institution, a hospital and other institutions have to ensure the safety of those under their care.
- The passing of a possible threat will be announced both in the EE-ALARM channels and via media.
- You can find further instructions on how to act at olevalmis.ee more information about the alert and the hazard at kriis.ee and the state helpline 1247.
- Have a calm discussion about the implications of a potential aerial threat and how to act during it with your family, elderly relatives, people under your care and others.
- Consider and discuss in advance how to act and protect those under your care and your loved ones if a potential aerial threat becomes a direct threat.
- Take care that your mobile phone has the Eesti app and the “Ole valmis!” app well in advance, that they are updated and that notifications are allowed.
Aerial threat – “Shelter immediately”
When do the Defence Forces alert: the aerial threat is direct, i.e. human health, life and assets are in danger. For instance, an aerial device in the Estonian airspace is giving reason to believe that it could attack or be directly and immediately dangerous to people in the region affected by the hazard.
instructions
- You may hear the sirens, get a sheltering order from the Defence Forces with an SMS, an app notification and/or via the ERR channels, or you notice a threat.
- Shelter immediately, indoors and away from windows if possible.
- Once you get a sheltering order, shelter where you are currently at – at home, at work, at school, at kindergarten, at the store or other indoor space, as moving around outdoors is life-threatening in case of a direct threat.
- Remember: the indoor space closest to you at the moment is the best place to shelter. Keep away from the windows and doors, go to the lowest possible floor, lower yourself near the ground and stay behind as many walls as possible.
- If it is not possible to go indoors, find a place where you are surrounded by walls or another barrier on at least one side, even if it is a ditch or a hollow in the ground. In the worst case, lie down and protect your head with your arms.
- If you are traveling in a vehicle, park it in the shelter of the nearest building or natural barrier (woods, mounds) in a way that it would not obstruct emergency vehicles. Leave the car and shelter elsewhere as a car does not offer sufficient protection in case of an aerial threat.
- Keep a charged phone at hand and follow further instructions.
- During the threat, you can get more information from kriis.ee or the state helpline 1247 and from ERR and other Estonian media channels.
- Educational institutions, hospitals, care and other similar facilities have to have thought through their actions during this kind of a situation, ensure the safety of those under their care and act according to instructions.
- Once the threat has passed and it is again safe to return to regular activities, it will be communicated through the hazard alert channels and the media.
- Have a calm discussion about the implications of a sheltering order and how to act during it with your family, elderly relatives, people under your care and others.
- Take care that your mobile phone has the Eesti app and the “Ole valmis!” app well in advance, that they are updated and that notifications are allowed.
Please notice!
- The Defence Forces use the channels of the hazard alert system EE-ALARM: SMS messages and the mobile applications Eesti app and "Ole Valmis!"
- If necessary, the sirens will be activated. Information is also broadcast in ERR and other media channels.
- The alerts are sent to the region affected by the hazard.
- Pay close attention to what kind of instructions the state is giving. All alerts do not require sheltering.
- Keep in mind that more detailed information about the situation might take some time and the hazard alert contains only the initial and most critical instructions.
How to recognize an attack drone?
Attack drones are much bigger than civilian drones, their shape is similar to an airplane or a rocket and quite often triangular. They generally do not have four propellers like the drones used by recreational drone operators, and they work based on an internal combustion engine. Attack drones are not illuminated – there are no flashing lights on them.
Recreational drones have compulsory lights – red, green.
Attack drones have an internal combustion engine, and they emit an even monotone sound reminiscent of a moped or a lawn mower. .
A recreational drone operates with an electric engine, the sound is made by tiny propellers, and it buzzes during flight. The sound frequency of recreational drones is often varying due to constant course changes.
Listen to the sound of an attack drone:
An attack drone does not hover in one spot in the air, it is in constant motion. Their flight altitude is considerably lower than, for instance, airplanes.
A recreational drone, however, is capable of “standing in the air” in one spot and it can be quickly moved up and down, left and right with a remote controller.
Please notice!
- Even if there is no official warning, you should assess the aerial threat posed by any suspicious flying object and act with caution. If you hear the sound of a moped in the sky but do not see anything in the darkness, it is highly likely that you are dealing with an attack drone.
- Make sure of your safety: if necessary, move quickly to the nearest indoor space, stay as low as possible, away from windows and doors.
- Call 112 immediately, let them know your location and forward as many details as you hear or see.
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If you find pieces of a drone or a whole crashed drone, do not go near or touch it. It may contain explosive parts. Call 112 immediately and give as precise a location as possible of yourself and the objects you found. Keep away from the crashed drone, do not take pictures or share the information on social media.
Frequently asked questions regarding drone threat
FAQ: Drones – General Information
- Even if there is no official warning, you should assess the aerial threat posed by any suspicious flying object and act with caution. If you hear the sound of a moped in the sky but do not see anything in the darkness, it is highly likely that you are dealing with an attack drone.
- Make sure of your safety: if necessary, move quickly to the nearest indoor space, stay as low as possible, away from windows and doors.
- Call 112 immediately, let them know your location and forward as many details as you hear or see.
If you find pieces of a drone or a whole crashed drone, do not go near or touch it.
- Act as you would if you found an explosive device -- it may contain explosive parts.
- Call 112 immediately and let them know as precise a location as possible of yourself and the objects you found.
- Keep away from the crashed drone, do not take pictures or share information in social media -- this way you will avoid curious people gathering at the scene and reduce the risk to other people.
Please do not share information about the movements of Defence Forces' equipment in social media.
Attack drones are much bigger than civilian drones (human-sized or bigger), their shape is similar to an airplane or a rocket and quite often triangular. They generally do not have four propellers like the drones used by recreational drone operators, and they work based on an internal combustion engine. Attack drones are not illuminated – there are no flashing lights on them. Recreational drones have compulsory lights – red, green.
An attack drone does not hover in one spot in the air, it is in constant motion. Their flight altitude is considerably lower than, for instance, airplanes. A recreational drone, however, is capable of “standing in the air” in one spot and it can be quickly moved up and down, left and right with a remote controller.
Attack drones have an internal combustion engine, and they emit an even monotone sound reminiscent of a moped or a lawn mower. A recreational drone operates with an electric engine, the sound is made by tiny propellers, and it buzzes during flight. The sound frequency of recreational drones is often varying due to constant course changes.
Russia's aggression against Ukraine has resulted in a situation where aerial devices, including drones, may stray into Estonia.
The Defence Forces use the channels of the hazard alert system EE-ALARM to notify about hazards that require sheltering as well as possible aerial hazards: SMS messages, the mobile applications Eesti app and "Ole Valmis!", and also the activation of sirens if necessary. More information can be obtained from the kriis.ee web page and the phone line 1247. Information is also broadcast in ERR and other media channels. The notifications are sent to the hazard region.
The Defence Forces use the channels of the hazard alert system EE-ALARM to notify about hazards that require sheltering as well as possible air hazards: SMS messages, the mobile applications Eesti app and "Ole Valmis!", and also the activation of sirens if necessary. More information can be obtained from the kriis.ee web page and the phone line 1247. Information is also broadcast in ERR and other media channels. The notifications are sent to the hazard region.
Pay close attention to what kind of instructions the state is giving. All notifications do not require sheltering. Keep in mind that more detailed information about the situation might take some time and the hazard alert contains only the initial and most critical instructions.
The Defence Forces notify about a possible aerial hazard if there is a possibility that drones or other dangerous aerial devices may end up in the region but there is no direct danger. For instance, a drone that will probably fly over the region and will not pose a direct threat to the population has strayed into or is entering the Estonian airspace.
The Defence Forces will issue an air threat alert if the threat is imminent — that is, if people’s health, lives, and property are at risk. For example, if there is an aircraft in Estonian airspace that is suspected of posing an immediate and direct threat to people in the affected area.
FAQ: Drones – Possible Aerial Threat
Air hazards are issued by the Defence Forces. If you receive an EE-ALARM alert, take it seriously and follow the instructions.
If you receive an EE-ALARM alert about a possible air hazard via SMS and/or the app:/or the app:
- There’s no need to hide. Just proceed with your daily routine – children go to school or daycare and adults go to work.
- When outdoors, stay alert to your surroundings and be ready to take cover if the situation changes.
- Be ready to take cover if you notice a danger, receive an order to take cover, or hear sirens.
- Keep a charged phone handy and follow the instructions you receive.
- If a child is at daycare, school, or a loved one is in a nursing home, they are under the care of the staff there and do not need to be brought home. Educational or care institutions, hospitals, and other facilities must ensure the safety of those in their care.
- Information about the end of a potential threat will be provided through both EE-ALARM channels and the media. For more information about the alert and the threat, visit kriis.ee or call the national information hotline at 1247. Additional guidelines can be found at** olevalmis.ee/droon.
*Stay alert!
Calmly discuss with your family, elderly relatives, those in your care, and others what when a potential air threat becomes an immediate danger.
Think ahead and discuss how to act and protect your dependents and loved ones if a potential air threat becomes an immediate danger.
- Make sure you have the Eesti äpp and the “Ole valmis!” app on your mobile phone well in advance, and ensure they are updated and notifications are enabled.
Yes, normal routines will continue. If a child is at daycare or school, or a family member is at a nursing home, they are under the care of the staff there and do not need to be brought home. Educational and social service institutions, hospitals, and other facilities must ensure the safety of those in their care.
Guidelines for responding to a potential air threat:
- There’s no need to hide. Just proceed with your daily routine – children go to school or daycare and adults go to work.
- When outdoors, stay alert to your surroundings and be ready to take cover if the situation changes.
- Be ready to take cover if you notice a danger, receive an order to take cover, or hear sirens.
- Keep a charged phone handy and follow the instructions you receive.
- If a child is at daycare, school, or a loved one is in a nursing home, they are under the care of the staff there and do not need to be brought home. Educational or care institutions, hospitals, and other facilities must ensure the safety of those in their care.
- Information about the end of a potential threat will be provided through both EE-ALARM channels and the media.
- For more information about the alert and the threat, visit kriis.ee or call the national information hotline at 1247. Additional guidelines can be found at olevalmis.ee/droon.
*Stay alert!
- Calmly discuss with your family, elderly relatives, those in your care, and others what when a potential air threat becomes an immediate danger.
- Think ahead and discuss how to act and protect your dependents and loved ones if a potential air threat becomes an immediate danger.
- Make sure you have the Eesti äpp and the “Ole valmis!” app on your mobile phone well in advance, and ensure they are updated and notifications are enabled.
The Defence Forces notify about a possible aerial hazard if there is a possibility that drones or other dangerous aerial devices may end up in the region but there is no direct danger. For instance, a drone that will probably fly over the region and will not pose a direct threat to the population has strayed into or is entering the Estonian airspace.
FAQ: Drones – Air Threat
If you hear sirens, receive a shelter order from the Defence Forces via text message, app notification, and/or ERR channels, or notice a threat:
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Take shelter immediately, indoors, if possible, away from windows.
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When you receive a shelter order, take shelter where you are – at home, at work, at school, at daycare, in a store, or elsewhere indoors, because moving outdoors is life-threatening in the event of an immediate air threat.
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Remember: the closest indoor space to you at that moment is the best place to take shelter. Stay away from windows and doors, go to the lowest floor possible, close to the ground, and behind as many walls as possible.
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If you cannot enter a building, find a spot where you are surrounded by walls or another barrier on at least one side, even if it is just a ditch or a mound. In the worst-case scenario, lie down and protect your head with your hands.
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When driving, park your vehicle close to the nearest building or natural barrier (forest, mound) so that it does not obstruct emergency vehicles. Get out of the car and take cover elsewhere, as a car does not provide adequate protection in the event of an air threat.
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Keep your charged phone handy and follow the instructions below.
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In case of an emergency, you can get more information at [www.kriis.ee] (https://kriis.ee/), by calling the national information hotline at 1247, or from ERR and other Estonian media outlets.
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Educational institutions, hospitals, social care facilities, and other similar institutions must have a plan in place for how to respond to such situations, ensure the safety of those in their care, and act in accordance with the guidelines.
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Once the threat has passed and it is safe to resume normal activities, this will be announced through emergency notification channels and the media. Good to know!
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Calmly discuss with your family, elderly relatives, dependents, and others what a shelter order means and how to behave during such an order.
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Make sure you have the Eesti äpp app and the “Ole valmis!” app on your mobile phone well in advance, that they are up to date, and that notifications are enabled.
The safety of the wards and the staff is the priority -- take shelter where you are currently at (in the school, kindergarten or other indoor space, as moving around outdoors is life-threatening during a direct aerial threat. Educational institutions, hospitals, care and other similar facilities have to have thought through their actions during this kind of a situation, ensure the safety of those under their care and act according to instructions.
Instructions
- Remember: the indoor space closest to you at the moment is the best place to shelter. Keep away from the windows and doors, go to the lowest possible floor, lower yourself near the ground and stay behind as many walls as possible.
- If it is not possible to go indoors, find a place where you are surrounded by walls or another barrier on at least one side, even if it is a ditch or a hollow in the ground. In the worst case, lie down and protect your head with your arms.
- If you are traveling in a vehicle, park it in the shelter of the nearest building or natural barrier (woods, mounds) in a way that it would not obstruct emergency vehicles. Leave the car and shelter elsewhere as a car does not offer sufficient protection in case of an aerial threat.
- Keep a charged phone at hand and follow further instructions.
- During the threat, you can get more information from kriis.ee or the state helpline 1247 and from ERR and other Estonian media channels.
- Once the threat has passed and it is again safe to return to regular activities, it will be communicated through the hazard alert channels and the media.
The Defence Forces will issue an air threat alert if the threat is imminent — that is, if people’s health, lives, and property are at risk. For example, if there is an aircraft in Estonian airspace that is suspected of posing an immediate and direct threat to people in the affected area.
FAQ: Drones – EE-ALARM Public Warning System
There is no separate list for sending emergency alert SMS messages. Emergency alert SMS messages are sent to all mobile phones in the affected area that are connected to the mobile towers in that area. If you are not in the danger zone, you will not receive the emergency alert SMS. If you are in the danger zone but do not receive the SMS, the reason may be poor mobile coverage. In case of poor coverage, the message may arrive late or not at all. Therefore, it is wise to ensure that you have other channels for receiving hazard alerts. Download the Eesti äpp and the “Ole valmis!!” app to ensure they are up to date and notifications are enabled. App setup guides:
You can first verify the accuracy of the alert on the kriis.ee website. Additional information is also provided by kriis.ee, ERR channels, and the social media platforms of official institutions.
In situations that may endanger human life and health or national security, the institution responding to the emergency (e.g., the police, rescue services agency, health authorities, etc.) can send an SMS message or app notification to people in the danger zone, with EE-ALARM listed as the sender.
If a person does not have an Estonian phone number, the SMS will be sent from the number +372 5950 0000.
In the “Ole valmis!” app, parents can view notifications under “Settings” -> “Notifications” in the menu bar. The archive view is currently under development in the Estonian version of the app and should be available soon.
App setup guides:
App settings depend on both the apps themselves and the mobile operating systems (iOS and Android), and unfortunately, they need to be reviewed from time to time. It may happen that the mobile operating system decides to mute the app on its own if it hasn’t been used for a long time. Like all other apps, the Eesti äpp and the "Ole valmis!" app require updates to stay current. Most of the time, no issues arise after updates, but glitches can still occur occasionally. Therefore, it is a good idea to review your settings after updates, and if glitches persist, it is worth deleting the app temporarily and then downloading it again. Mobile app users can choose whether they want notifications for all of Estonia or only for their home region. This allows people to customize the scope of notifications according to their preferences. The mobile app also allows you to receive notifications even when you are in another region or even another country. On your mobile phone, we recommend checking the app’s permissions and settings in your device settings to ensure notifications are received as quickly as possible. To receive hazard alerts via the app, check that:
- The app is downloaded,
- Notifications are enabled both in the app and on your phone,
- The app is up to date or automatic updates are enabled. If nothing helps and notifications still aren’t coming through, we recommend deleting the app and reinstalling it on your phone. Then, make sure to enable app notifications. Estonian app info: https://www.ria.ee/riigi-infosusteem/personaalriik/eesti-app#api-seadistused “Ole valmis!” app info: https://www.naiskodukaitse.ee/OLE_VALMIS_3680
The Defence Forces use the channels of the hazard alert system EE-ALARM to notify about hazards that require sheltering as well as possible aerial hazards: SMS messages, the mobile applications Eesti app and "Ole Valmis!", and also the activation of sirens if necessary. More information can be obtained from the kriis.ee web page and the phone line 1247. Information is also broadcast in ERR and other media channels. The notifications are sent to the hazard region.
FAQ: Drones – for Educational Institutions
- Consider how to move internal information quickly during an emergency so that teachers can get a clear picture of the situation as quickly as possible.
- Identify, prepare, and adapt rooms suitable for sheltering.
- Practice the sheltering procedure.
- Consider how children can contact their parents in an emergency.
- Consider how information will reach teachers once the school has taken shelter.
- Maintain open communication with parents and ensure that important information is accessible to both parties.
The safety of the wards and the staff is the priority -- take shelter where you are currently at (in the school, kindergarten or other indoor space, as moving around outdoors is life-threatening during a direct aerial threat. Educational institutions, hospitals, care and other similar facilities have to have thought through their actions during this kind of a situation, ensure the safety of those under their care and act according to instructions.
Instructions
- Remember: the indoor space closest to you at the moment is the best place to shelter. Keep away from the windows and doors, go to the lowest possible floor, lower yourself near the ground and stay behind as many walls as possible.
- If it is not possible to go indoors, find a place where you are surrounded by walls or another barrier on at least one side, even if it is a ditch or a hollow in the ground. In the worst case, lie down and protect your head with your arms.
- If you are traveling in a vehicle, park it in the shelter of the nearest building or natural barrier (woods, mounds) in a way that it would not obstruct emergency vehicles. Leave the car and shelter elsewhere as a car does not offer sufficient protection in case of an aerial threat.
- Keep a charged phone at hand and follow further instructions.
- During the threat, you can get more information from kriis.ee or the state helpline 1247 and from ERR and other Estonian media channels.
- Once the threat has passed and it is again safe to return to regular activities, it will be communicated through the hazard alert channels and the media.
Yes, normal routines will continue. If a child is at daycare or school, or a family member is at a nursing home, they are under the care of the staff there and do not need to be brought home. Educational and social service institutions, hospitals, and other facilities must ensure the safety of those in their care.
Guidelines for responding to a potential air threat:
- There’s no need to hide. Just proceed with your daily routine – children go to school or daycare and adults go to work.
- When outdoors, stay alert to your surroundings and be ready to take cover if the situation changes.
- Be ready to take cover if you notice a danger, receive an order to take cover, or hear sirens.
- Keep a charged phone handy and follow the instructions you receive.
- If a child is at daycare, school, or a loved one is in a nursing home, they are under the care of the staff there and do not need to be brought home. Educational or care institutions, hospitals, and other facilities must ensure the safety of those in their care.
- Information about the end of a potential threat will be provided through both EE-ALARM channels and the media.
- For more information about the alert and the threat, visit kriis.ee or call the national information hotline at 1247. Additional guidelines can be found at olevalmis.ee/droon.
*Stay alert!
- Calmly discuss with your family, elderly relatives, those in your care, and others what when a potential air threat becomes an immediate danger.
- Think ahead and discuss how to act and protect your dependents and loved ones if a potential air threat becomes an immediate danger.
- Make sure you have the Eesti äpp and the “Ole valmis!” app on your mobile phone well in advance, and ensure they are updated and notifications are enabled.
