Crown control. (Credit: Canton de Fribourg)
Drone flights over Rolex’s new construction site in Bulle, Switzerland, are now banned after cantonal authorities imposed a no-fly zone at the brand’s request. No-fly zones are usually associated with safety-critical infrastructure or national security, such as airports or events like the G7 summit. It is unusual for a luxury brand, which typically relies on visibility and publicity, to restrict outside views even as it works to generate buzz around a CHF 1 billion project, its biggest to date. There are about 1,000 workers on the site.
The decision, which was published Friday in the Feuille officielle du canton de Fribourg and issued by the Directorate of Security, Justice and Sport, reflects what authorities described as a heightened security environment around a “relatively sensitive” construction site. Police are authorized to intercept, disable and seize any drones that violate the restriction. The ban applies to unmanned aircraft weighing under 30 kilograms and will remain in effect through Dec. 31, 2032, unless lifted earlier at Rolex’s request.
The brand’s request to ban drones was filed last month and is the latest sign of the level of interest surrounding Rolex and its newest manufacture, at a time when attention on the largest luxury watch company is greater than ever. Rolex said it had observed “une augmentation préoccupante” in drone activity since work began, describing the devices as a potential danger to both personnel and corporate security, including the risk of unauthorized image capture. The site has also previously been the target of malicious activity. In May 2025, during the night of May 2 to 3, the Rolex construction site was burglarized, with roughly 200,000 Swiss francs worth of equipment stolen.