The Kotor Prosecutor's Office will have to determine whether someone intentionally shot down the drones of a Croatian company during a drone light show that was interrupted after about eighty seconds in the sky above the Old Town in Budva at midnight on New Year's Eve, or whether the drones fell due to interference from other frequencies in the area.
Owner of the company "Mirnovec pyrotechnics" Franjo Koletić Yesterday, in an interview with Vijesti, he categorically claimed that the drones were deliberately shot down with an anti-drone jammer, a "gun" that uses an electromagnetic beam, and which is usually owned by the police, military or secret services.
Electronic Communications Expert Srdja Mihaljevic He said that the cause of drone crashes could be intentional interference, but also unintentional interference from the environment, reflection and shadowing of signals from buildings and terrain, as well as a combination of multiple factors, which may be determined by the Electronic Communications Agency (EKIP).
The drone show on New Year's Eve, organized by the Budva Tourist Organization, ended in a fiasco. About fifteen seconds after the planned launch of 600 drones from the plateau in front of the Port Authority began, they began to return to the plateau and fall into the sea. Some of them collided with other drones that were taking off, until, about 40 seconds later, the operator stopped the launch. The drones fell for another twenty seconds.
Koletić said that nearly 200 drones were downed due to jamming, and that many were damaged.
"When they entered the zone where they were being disrupted in the air, those drones were programmed so that as soon as they sensed that they were no longer connected to our software, they would return to base via the fastest route. When they encountered that wall in the air that was being disrupted, they stopped there and started returning to base... And some were damaged, some returned normally, but, of course, when the pilot saw what the situation was, he stopped the show, without those 100 drones the show could no longer take place."
He said that the American company Verge Aero, which manufactures the X7 drones they use, provided them with a diagram of the drones' connection quality to the satellites, ten minutes after controlling the drone show software via a remote computer application.
"We have procedures, tests... that have to be done when the drone show is connected. It all worked. We also have a connection quality diagram. When we started lifting the drones, an extremely high peak of the jammed signal appeared. Everything is clear. It didn't appear by chance," said Koletić.
"Their engineer pulled out all the files related to the show. After ten minutes, an explanation came with a connection diagram. They said that the drones were jammed at such and such hours and they sent a curve of that connection, where you can see exactly that, when the drones started, the signal was suddenly catastrophic. Before that, it was ideal."
He also pointed out that his son, who was also in charge of the show, said that he "has never had better connected drones."
"All the drones were connected to practically 50 satellites. Ideal connection, the weather was okay, everything was working, more than flawlessly, until he pressed play, until the drones started going up. At that moment, apparently the one who was thinking of shooting down the drones, also pressed his jammer, and directed the beam towards our drones, and ruined our drone show."
Koletić ruled out the possibility that the drones could have crashed due to other circumstances, such as their unintentional errors, battery failure, and interference from other signals.
"We have a hundred drone shows done around the world... The battery can't fail on all the drones. It could happen that one or two drones out of six hundred leak during the show, that maybe something is wrong, but everything is tested, everything exists on the computer, everything is looked at, everything is visible. There is no mistake there. If it were any other story, the drones wouldn't start taking off... A drone of this type cannot fall, cannot experience interference without a jammer. Jammers are so-called anti-drone guns, which are practically used in the military industry to prevent drone attacks," he said.
Koletić said that a physical person cannot access the jammer.
"The jammer is owned by the police, the army, the secret services, the airports that protect the airports from drones and so on. So it's a serious story. There's no teenager behind it who wanted to play around a bit - this was an organized trap, an organized drone jamming, because obviously it wasn't in someone's interest... for that drone show in Budva to succeed, someone made an effort to blow it up," said Koletić.
Vijesti's sources from security services claim that the jammer Koletić is talking about can be found on the black market.
Mihaljević: Reliable GPS signal lost
Yesterday, Vijesti asked Mihaljević, a telecommunications expert, for a comment based on the video footage of the drone crash, and later provided him with a diagram they received from Koletić. He said that the graph shows how the GPS signal on one of the drones behaved at the time of the incident.
"Initially, the signal is stable: the drone 'sees' enough satellites and knows exactly where it is, but then the number of satellites the drone receives starts to drop sharply, and the drone suddenly 'starts to get lost in space'."
He said that the drone automatically enters protective modes when it loses reliable GPS, tries to return, descend or hold position.
"If the same thing happens to multiple drones at the same time, it's very easy for them to collide and crash."
Mihaljević said that, after reviewing the diagram, it can be concluded that the impression of the event has changed significantly.
"Based on the new technical findings, especially the insight into the graph showing the behavior of the GPS signal during the incident, the picture of the event is changing significantly. So far, several possible causes have been discussed - from a technical failure and software error, to radio congestion, to possible interference. Now, for the first time, we have concrete data showing what was happening with the navigation signal on the drone itself at the time of the incident. The graphic record clearly shows that during the critical period there was a sharp drop in the number of satellites received by the drone and that the accuracy of determining its position drastically deteriorated. Simply put, at that moment the drone 'lost its orientation' because it no longer had a reliable GPS signal and did not know where it exactly was," said Mihaljević.
He pointed out that such behavior is not common under normal conditions in open space and indicates a serious disruption of satellite navigation.
"This finding shows that the GPS signal was significantly disrupted, but it does not in itself reveal why this happened. The cause could be intentional jamming, but also unintentional interference from the environment, reflection and shadowing of the signal from buildings and terrain, as well as a combination of multiple factors," he said.
Mihaljević said it was possible that EKIP had recorded a signal disturbance.
"If the GPS signal interference was sufficiently strong and spatially widespread, then EKIP, as a national regulator with a radio spectrum monitoring system, could have registered such an event. However, if the interference was very local, directional or short-lived, it is possible that it strongly affected the drones, while at the same time remaining out of range of EKIP's stationary monitoring stations," he explained.
Mihaljević points out that the core of the problem is the loss of a reliable GPS signal.
"New technical data clearly shows that the core of the problem was the loss of a reliable GPS signal, but a full explanation of the event requires further analysis of drone recordings in combination with possible data from the EKIP monitoring system. Only on the basis of that combination can a final, expert and responsible conclusion be given as to whether it was intentional or unintentional interference, or some other technical cause," he said.
Vijesti expects answers from EKIP as to whether their monitoring stations, which are constantly in operation, have the ability to register possible signal interference in the Budva area from their locations, taking into account the distance of the stations, the terrain and the position of the antennas, especially when it comes to the spectrum used by GNSS systems and ISM bands (2,4 GHz and 5,8 GHz).
EKIP also asked Vijesti whether, in the period 31. 12. 2025/01. 01. 2026, especially between 23:30 and 00:30, frequencies relevant to drone operation were covered, including GNSS and ISM bands, and whether any unusual phenomena in the spectrum, increased levels of interference or alarm events were recorded during that period.
An answer is also expected to the question of whether, according to expert assessment, possible local interference of a shorter range in the narrower area of the event would be possible to register from existing monitoring stations.
Koletić, Vujošević and Jovanović will not say how much the "light show" was paid for
The Budva Tourist Organization and the Budva Municipality, which is the founder of the richest local tourist organization in Montenegro, have not issued a public call for a drone show, even though the price of the procurement is more than 8.000, according to data from the Montenegrin Electronic Public Procurement (CEJN) website.
For this job, claims the director of the Budva Tourism Office Ana Vujošević, they did not even have to call for a tender, because it was a "Contract for an artistic performance - presentation of visual light effects in the sky".
Neither she nor Koletić wanted to reveal the value of the contract.
"According to the provisions of the contract in question, a confidentiality clause is provided, so all data related to the contracted amount, method of payment and other data and information generated in connection with the contract have been marked by the contracting parties as a business secret, and may be made available with the written consent of the other contracting party," she replied to Vijesti.
The owner of the Mirnovec pyrotechnics company also said that it was a "trade secret".
After being told that it was not a private matter, but a job paid for with money from the citizens of Budva, he said that "he was not obliged to disclose it."
"I'm not obligated to tell anyone how much I charged for something, I never say that... After all, when you sign any kind of contract somewhere, for something, some paying clients argue that they want it to be a secret, that you have no right to talk about it. I stick to that and we behave strictly in a businesslike manner, I can only say that such things are not cheap, they are some kind of trendy things in the world, so it is certainly not cheap," he said.
On November 5, the Budva Municipal Administration announced a tender for the selection of the most favorable bidder for organizing the New Year's fireworks, in which the first-ranked bid was from the company "Mirnovec Montenegro".
On December 4, the acting director of the Budva Regional Directorate, Ana Vujošević, concluded a contract with the company "Mirnovec Pirotehnika" based in Samobor, which was signed by the executive director of the Croatian company, Franjo Koletić.
The Croatian company, as stated in the contract that Vijesti had access to, undertook to perform a fireworks display on New Year's Eve for 48.272 euros (price including VAT), which was done. The contract specifies what kind of pyrotechnic spectacle is required, but also what the Croatian company is obliged to fulfill and if not, what the consequences are.
Koletić told Vijesti that the Budva scenario was not foreseen in the contract, because nothing similar had ever happened to them, that the drones were insured in Croatia, but that the question was whether they would be recognized for the damage caused in Montenegro.
"That's now a matter for our next negotiations, discussions, etc.," said Koletić.
Vujošević claims that "in the event of adverse weather conditions, a flight ban or force majeure, the contract provides for the possibility of setting a new implementation date."
"All future activities of the contracting parties will be defined in accordance with the Law on Obligations and positive regulations defining the subject matter, and after an investigation has been conducted and the perpetrator has been identified," she said.
The Municipality of Budva did not respond to Vijesti's questions yesterday about how much it cost to organize the drone show, whether a tender was announced, or whether the concluded contract included a compensation clause in the event of its failure to be held.
The local board of New Serbian Democracy accused the Budva government of corruption in concluding the deal, which is worth "hundreds of thousands of euros."
They said that the Mirnovec company should tell the truth - "which high-ranking officials were paid tens of thousands of euros in bribes so that they would be hired for this job."
"They poured coffee on our drones, we suffered because of politics"
Koletić told Vijesti yesterday that employees at the Budva Port Authority insulted them as soon as they started to set up drones, and that they also poured coffee on their aircraft.
He explained that this was just one of the indicators that they were not welcome, after the upheavals and alleged three-day mistreatment during the import of drones by the police and customs at the border crossing and at the customs office in Kotor.
"I don't get into politics, I'm not interested in politics, nor do I follow Montenegrin politics, but mostly, it wasn't in someone's interest (to hold the drone show)," said Koletić.
He also claims that they "died because of politics."
"When we finally arrived at the Port of Budva and fenced off where the drone show would be, people from the Port Authority insulted our people, asking: 'Who gave you permission to set up here'? A man in a coffee pot makes coffee, comes out and throws the water and coffee at our drone. My guys put up with all that. The show started, this story happened. We have nothing to talk about here at all. I informed my embassy. We are collateral victims here, we have been inflicted with enormous financial damage, and we have neither eaten onions nor smelled onions," said Koletić.
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He added that they are professionals, that they work for all nations, nationalities, parties...
"We are professionals. We flew drones for Thompson in Croatia and we flew drones for Vučić in Serbia twice - for Liberation Day and Statehood Day... We work for Arabs, we work for all possible nations, nationalities, parties... We are not involved in politics, but here, unfortunately, we were drawn into politics and suffered because of it," he said.
"I'll open the software to investigators, but they have no idea about it"
Koletić said that he was ready to open the software to Montenegrin investigators or an expert they hired, but that "they have no idea about it."
"What would they find out, when they have no idea about it? People have been working on that program for years. They took our computer. First, they can't get into the software, because the software is in the cloud. They need passwords to even get into the software. And if they were to get into the software, it's like me getting into the software at a nuclear power plant. What would I do with that software? People have been studying that software for years so they could do something," he said.
He added that he could provide them with access to the software, adding that it was unique software in the world, that it was developed by Americans, and that only those who do it knew it.
"No one else can work on this. Who will the investigation hire? We are the only company in the region that deals with this. And I will not talk about the software at all. The software is American, it is a company from Philadelphia, which has been working on this software for years, and which has its own people around the world who have been trained on this software. Who will be the expert who will now do something with the software. I can open it for him, and what will he determine?" he asked, emphasizing that the police in Montenegro are "trying their best" to blame them.
"They almost treated my son as if he were some kind of suspect, as if he had somehow concocted a story. What are we talking about? The guy is a master at such things, he has done over a hundred drone shows. He has never had the slightest problem. At least the Americans control everything for us. They connect via TeamViewer to check if everything is in order. We called the Americans immediately after the show."
Drone jammers: What types exist and how do they work in practice?
Drone jammers are devices that "break" a drone's communication or navigation, thereby preventing it from operating normally.
The most common are control signal jammers, which cut off the connection between the drone and the person flying it. When the drone no longer receives commands, it usually stops, automatically lands, or tries to return to its starting point - like when the internet goes out while watching a video.
Another common category is GPS jammers, which prevent a drone from reliably determining its location. In such conditions, the drone can become disoriented, fail to return “home,” or go into a safety mode like hovering or crash landing—like when Google Maps shows the wrong location.
In practice, combined jammers are often used, which simultaneously disrupt both the control and GPS. Such systems are considered more effective, because the drone "disappears" from both the controls and navigation at the same time, which most often quickly forces it to abort the flight or switch to automatic mode.
Of particular note are the so-called drone jamming “guns” - devices that look like bulky handguns but don't fire ammunition. They point at a drone and jam the signal in that direction, making them practical for rapid response in the field.
Stationary anti-drone systems are used to protect important locations, and are installed around airports, government institutions, and other sensitive facilities. They monitor the airspace and can automatically detect drones and activate jamming, depending on the settings.
The use of jammers in many countries is strictly regulated or prohibited for civilians, because jamming radio signals can have consequences for other devices and networks in the area.
Mulić: I expect the authorities to establish all the facts
Executive Director of the Mirnovec Montenegro company Dalida Mulić told Vijesti that apart from what they could see on the ground and through the media, there is no additional official information or explanation about the causes that led to the drones crashing.
"Except for what has been announced to the public so far and what is within the jurisdiction of the institutions to determine."
"The owner of the company, Mr. Franjo Koletić, with experience in implementing drone show programs, was engaged in the implementation of the project in his capacity as the owner of the company. Mr. Koletić pledged the complete equipment and took full responsibility so that Budva, as the metropolis of Montenegrin tourism, would receive a unique New Year's program," she said.
He also points out that since the beginning of their business, safety has been their absolute priority:
"And in this context, we would like to emphasize that we are grateful that there were no injuries in this incident, which we consider to be the most important fact."
She explained that her involvement in the project was focused on administrative and organizational tasks and coordination of people in the field, while the technical implementation was carried out by the team from the Mirnovec pyrotechnics company, with many years of experience in this field.
"Due to circumstances beyond our control, the planned experience of the first drone show program in Montenegro could not be realized. The event, unfortunately, resulted in significant material damage, including damage to more than 200 drones, and the exact extent will be known after the completion of all technical and institutional checks. At this point, we are awaiting responses from the competent institutions, which have been invited to establish all relevant facts and inform the public of their findings," said Mulić.
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