Germany’s cabinet has approved a new law granting police the authority to shoot down rogue drones that violate national airspace or pose serious threats of harm. The measure—which still requires parliamentary approval—comes amid a surge in UAV-related incidents disrupting air traffic across Europe.
Under the legislation, police may employ appropriate technical means against drones, their control units, or control links “if averting the danger by other measures would be futile or significantly impeded.”
The move follows last week’s chaos at Munich Airport—Germany’s second-largest—where sightings of unauthorized UAVs forced dozens of flight cancellations and diversions, stranding more than 10,000 passengers.
Between January and September 2025 alone, German authorities recorded 172 drone-related disruptions to air traffic, a sharp rise from 129 over the same period last year, according to Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS).
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) said on Friday, October 3rd that the legislation will also provide federal police with “an additional unit for development and research into drone defence” emphasizing the growing need for rapid detection and response systems.
With the new powers, Germany joins several EU states, including France, Lithuania, and Romania, in expanding security forces’ ability to neutralize UAV threats.
