This coming Saturday, June 27, the Abortion Drone will make its first flight from Frankfurt (Oder) in Germany to Słubice in Poland, delivering at-home abortion pills. Most countries within the European Union allow a pregnancy to be terminated within the first trimester (about 12 weeks), except Ireland, Poland, and Malta.

The drone flight is being organised by Women on Waves, a Dutch non-profit, along with activist groups in Germany and Poland. Abortion is illegal in Poland, except in extreme cases. At-home abortion pills (in this case mifepristone and misoprostol) are freely available in most of Europe, including Germany, but not in Poland.

Słubice is literally just a few yards away from Frankfurt (Oder); they are separated by the river Oder, which also happens to be the Germany-Poland border. The drone (a quadcopter) will be loaded up with some at-home abortion pills and then land somewhere in Słubice (the exact location will be announced on Friday). The purpose of the stunt, according to Women on Waves, is to hopefully get Poland (and presumably Ireland and Malta) to change their stance on abortion.

Women on Waves says that, because the drone will stay within sight of the pilot, and it does not fly through controlled airspace, no authorisation is required by either the German or Polish authorities. The legality of flying unapproved drugs into a foreign country seems somewhat questionable, however.

Women on Waves has previously used boats to pick women up from Poland and offer abortions while in international waters.