British holidaymakers in Mallorca are being targeted by drones as authorities launch a crackdown on sunbed hoggers.
Police in popular resort areas including Calvia and Andratx are deploying unmanned aerial vehicles to identify tourists reserving loungers without using them.
Those caught leaving towels or personal belongings on sunbeds to claim them could face fines of up to £260.
The crackdown comes as British tourists flock to Spanish holiday hotspots at the start of the summer season.
Local officials are determined to tackle a practice that has long frustrated both holidaymakers and residents across the Balearic island.
The drones are being used to determine whether loungers are genuinely in use or simply being reserved with abandoned belongings.
Hotels across Mallorca reportedly receive hundreds of complaints every year about the controversial practice.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Formentera has taken even more drastic action, banning nearly 700 sun loungers and more than 300 parasols from its main beaches until 2029.
Those caught leaving towels or personal belongings on sunbeds to claim them could face fines of up to £260
|GETTY
The drone surveillance marks the latest escalation in the battle against sunbed hoggers as authorities attempt to stop tourists reserving prime spots along the Mediterranean coastline.
The summer of 2025 saw extraordinary scenes at Spanish resorts as British holidaymakers competed for the best tanning spots.
At the Sol Pelicano Ocas hotel in Benidorm, made famous as the Solana in the television series Benidorm, guests were seen racing towards the pool area the moment it opened.
Hotel guest Louise Smith filmed the spectacle from her balcony, watching fellow holidaymakers queue from as early as 7.30am.
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The drone surveillance marks the latest escalation in the battle against sunbed hoggers
| PA"I think it's ridiculous," she told Luxury Travel Daily.
"You go on holiday to relax, not to wake up super early to claim a sunbed."
The use of drones to crack down on sunbed hoggers is not a new phenomenon.
In the summer of 2024, Greek authorities deployed surveillance drones in Corfu, the Chalkidiki peninsula and Attica to identify offenders.
The summer of 2025 saw extraordinary scenes at Spanish resorts as British holidaymakers competed for the best tanning spots
| GETTYOfficials were also tasked with investigating bars and restaurants accused of illegally covering beaches with sunbeds and tables.
Under local rules, rentals are not permitted on beaches with less than four metres of sand.
The crackdown resulted in around €350,000 in fines being issued in just five days, according to the Greek government.
Most of the penalties were handed out for sunbeds and parasols taking up excessive amounts of beach space.
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