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Germany allows police to shoot drones

Germany will give police the authority to shoot down drones that are causing disruptions at airports in Europe, which some European leaders attribute to a hybrid warfare being waged by Russia.

The new law that was approved by the cabinet Wednesday, and is awaiting approval by parliament, allows the police to shoot down drones that violate Germany's airspace. This includes in the case of an immediate threat or grave harm.

Lasers and jamming of signals are other techniques that can be used to disable drones.

In a social media post, Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that "Drone incidents are a threat to our security."

We will not allow that. We're strengthening the Federal Police to detect and combat drones more quickly in the future. After rogue drones were spotted at Germany's second-largest airport, Munich, dozens of flights have been diverted or canceled, leaving over 10,000 passengers stranded.

Merz said that he assumed Russia to be behind the drones which flew over Germany at the weekend. However, none of them were armed. They were on reconnaissance flights. After Moscow's full-scale invasion in Ukraine 2022 and their support for Kyiv, EU leaders now view Russia as a serious threat to the security of their continent. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, called for a "drone wall" - a system of sensors and weapons that can detect and track unmanned aircraft and neutralise them - last month to protect Europe's east flank.

Some say that drones used in recent incidents may have also been launched within the EU.

KEEPING UP WITH FAST INNOVATIONS IN DRONES With this new law, Germany has joined other European countries who have recently granted their security forces the power to shoot down drones that violated their airspace. These include Britain, France and Lithuania.

Alexander Dobrindt, Minister of Interior, said that a dedicated counter-drones unit would be created in the federal police. Researchers will consult with Israel and Ukraine, as they are more advanced drone technology.

Dobrindt stated that the police would be responsible for drones hovering at tree level, while more powerful drones were best handled by the military.

According to data provided by Deutsche Flugsicherung, Germany experienced 172 drone-related air traffic disruptions between January 2025 and September 2025. This is up from 129 incidents in the same time period last year, and 121 incidents in 2023.

Last month, German military drills in Hamburg, the northern port city, demonstrated how a large drone, like a spider shot a net in mid-flight at a smaller drone, entangling propellers, and forcing it down to the ground where a robot dog trotted to look for possible explosives.

In densely populated areas, shooting down drones may be dangerous. Airports also do not always have detection systems capable of reporting sightings immediately. (Reporting from Sarah Marsh and Andreas Rinke, both in Berlin; Additional reporting by Madeline Chambers. Editing by Alexandra Hudson.

(source: Reuters)