German authorities report widespread drone sightings over
airports and military bases, prompting heightened security and a national
investigation.
Following the second drone sighting in two days, Munich Airport shuttered both runways on Friday, causing dozens of flights to be canceled or diverted. On Saturday morning, operations resumed, albeit with some delays.
Although the Kremlin has denied any involvement, there is growing worry that Russia may be responsible for an increasing number of recent drone incursions in Ukraine's European partners' airspace.
Using the confidential police report it claimed to have seen, Bild claimed on its website that the drones sighted at Munich Airport were "used militarily" without providing any other information or identifying their origin.
According to the report, three drones were also spotted the previous day, apparently flying in formation, over a Federal Police airborne unit facility close to the northern town of Gifhorn.
"He faces a heavy fine," the Frankfurt police wrote.
According to police, a man who was too eager to test a new hobby drone was the pilot of a drone that was seen flying 700 meters (0.4 miles) from Frankfurt Airport, Germany's main hub, on Friday morning.
Drones were seen flying over the Erding military facility near Munich Airport at approximately the same time as the airport's initial closure on Thursday night, according to a media story that was verified by the German defense ministry.
Some of the drone research and development for the German military is conducted at the Erding installation.
The type and origin of the drones have not been revealed by the police. Over the course of two evenings, such sightings left over 11,500 passengers stranded and resulted in the cancellation, diverting, or postponement of numerous flights.
Alexander Dobrindt, the German interior minister, told reporters he would provide police with a drone defense unit while attending a summit of European interior ministers on migration in Munich on Saturday.
Drone sightings and air intrusions have caused several disruptions to European aviation in recent weeks.
Legislation that would make it simpler for law enforcement to request that the military shoot down drones has been promised by Dobrindt.
What counter‑drone measures are airports deploying now?
Airports are employing a range of counter-drone technologies
that focus on the detection, tracking, and mitigation of unauthorized drone
use, with the goal of safeguarding airspace integrity and avoiding operational
disturbances.
For example, Dallas-Fort Worth airports have deployed FAA-approved drone detection systems, capturing thousands of drone flights each year; they are also considering a plan for a fixed counter-drone function. European airports, like those in Paris, are implementing more comprehensive strategies that include multi-layered drone defenses using radar, RF sensors, and AI-based detection systems.
These counter-drone technologies can provide a layered defense strategy by integrating real-time detection and various mitigating technologies to defend important airport infrastructure through unauthorized UAV operations.