Overview
- The amendment to the Aviation Security Act cleared the Bundesrat after passing the Bundestag, expanding armed-forces support for domestic drone defense.
- At the request of the Federal Police, the Bundeswehr may now use jamming or, as a last resort, weapons to intercept unmanned aircraft that threaten lives or critical facilities.
- Decision-making for military deployment in drone incidents shifts to the Defence Ministry, replacing a slower process that required coordination with the Interior Ministry.
- Disrupting airport operations by flying drones in restricted airspace becomes a criminal offense punishable by up to five years in prison, and intentional trespass onto airport grounds is newly criminalized.
- Germany has launched a Bundespolizei drone-defense unit, a federal–state coordination center, and a €100 million build-out as authorities report more illegal flights since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.