Federal Interior Ministry announces protective shield against drone and sabotage attacks

Dobrindt sees "daily reality" of hybrid attacks

According to the ministry, the initiative was triggered by several incidents at Leipzig/Halle Airport and Munich Airport. At both locations, drone overflights had been registered in recent weeks, temporarily restricting flight operations. Suspected drone sightings were also reported from Hamburg and other major cities.

According to Dobrindt, the protective shield is to cover several areas: the detection and defense against drones, the expansion of cybersecurity at the federal and state levels, and closer coordination between police, intelligence services, and airport operators. Investments in jamming systems, radar technology, and reporting systems are also planned, which will enable suspicious flying objects to be identified more quickly.

Three pillars: detection, cyber defense, and coordination

According to Dobrindt's account, consultations are already underway within the Federal Interior Ministry with the Federal Ministry of Defense, the Federal Ministry of Justice, and the federal states. The Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution are also involved, because some of the incidents suggest coordinated actions from abroad. Official investigation results have not yet been published.

CDU politician Armin Schuster, who, as State Secretary in the Interior Ministry, is responsible for civil protection, supports Dobrindt's course. In recent months, Schuster had repeatedly called for better equipment for disaster relief agencies and welcomed the project as an important step toward strengthening resilience against hybrid attacks.

Schuster supports the ministry's course

According to information from Berlin, the federal government is also discussing a tightening of the Aviation Security Act. Among other things, the focus is on the powers of the federal police for drone defense at civil airports, as well as extended intervention rights for the state police forces. The details are to be consolidated in an interministerial draft bill in the coming weeks.

According to Dobrindt, the European Union is also addressing the issue. The federal government is advocating in Brussels for uniform standards in drone registration and for better cross-border cooperation in defense. Individual EU member states had already signaled interest in closer collaboration, according to the ministry.

Debate over the Aviation Security Act and EU standards

Critics cautioned that the protective shield must be backed by clear responsibilities and sufficient personnel. The Police Union (Gewerkschaft der Polizei) pointed out that many airport authorities today do not have specialized detection units. Dobrindt announced that additional funds for drone defense would be earmarked in the 2027 budget process.

Experts see a new quality of threat in the growing number of drone overflights. While most incidents have so far been classified as deliberate disruptions, security authorities assume targeted reconnaissance in several documented sightings. The protective shield is therefore intended to be not only reactive but also preventive.

With the presentation of the concept, the Interior Ministry is also responding to increased public attention to the issue. According to surveys, many citizens consider security at airports and in major cities to be at risk. The ministry therefore intends to convene the federal-state crisis task force regularly in the future to assess incidents centrally and coordinate follow-up measures.