In light of the growing threat posed by unauthorized drones surveilling military facilities and critical infrastructure, Germany is officially launching a specialized federal police unit to combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This was announced by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt during a ceremony outside Berlin. It is a step aimed at strengthening national security in an era of “hybrid threats,” as the minister himself noted.
Europe is experiencing an unprecedented surge in suspicious drone flights. Since the beginning of 2025, more than 170 cases of airspace violations have been recorded in Germany, which is 30% more than last year. The problem became particularly acute in the fall: in October, Munich Airport, the second busiest in the country, was forced to close its runways for several hours due to multiple reports of UAVs, causing hundreds of flights to be delayed and chaos for thousands of passengers. Similar incidents occurred in Belgium, France, the UK, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, where airports were repeatedly closed and flights were diverted.
Suspicions fall on Russian intelligence, which uses drones as a tool of “hybrid warfare.” In October, a record number of UAV flights were recorded over German military bases, especially naval facilities. These incidents not only violate airspace, but also pose risks to civil aviation and infrastructure, including power grids and ports.
The new unit will be part of the federal police’s national special operations department and will be based in Ahornsfelde near Berlin. It will receive special training and certification in detecting and neutralizing drones.
Germany is investing over €100 million in 2025–2026 in the development and procurement of counter-drone technologies. This includes upgrading major airports for autonomous detection and protection against UAVs. In addition, this week, federal state interior ministers will discuss the creation of a joint federal-state center to combat drones, which will bring together police, local forces, and the military to coordinate actions.
The launch of the unit is not only a response to current threats, but also a signal of Germany’s readiness for new challenges. “We cannot allow hybrid threats involving drones to remain a danger to our security,” Dobrindt said. Last month, Germany, together with France and the UK, assisted Belgium in combating drone incursions, underscoring the European nature of the problem.
Experts note that this unit will form the basis for a national counter-drone system capable of preventing future incidents. At the same time, questions remain: how to avoid false alarms in densely populated areas and who is responsible for civil risks? The answers to these questions will come with the first real deployments.
Germany is entering a new era of air safety, where drones are not toys but potential weapons. The new unit is a step toward keeping the skies above the country clear of shadows.