Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport closed for 30 minutes due to drone!

Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport closed for 30 minutes due to drone!

Last Saturday morning there was an unexpected incident at Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport: operations had to be stopped for around 30 minutes due to a drone sighting. Residents in a neighboring community alerted the police when they noticed an unknown aircraft near the runways. Emergency services, including a police helicopter, were able to observe the device briefly before it finally disappeared. The exact origin and operator of the drone are still unclear. The closure was ordered as a precautionary measure to ensure airspace safety and marked the first sighting of its kind requiring such action at the airport. A plane on the way from Sofia had to be diverted to Strasbourg. Chancellor Merz landed at the airport an hour after the closure, but was no longer affected by the restrictions. According to police, there is no indication of a connection between his visit and the incident.

But the incident in Karlsruhe is not an isolated case. As DLR reports, the number of drone sightings near airports is increasing overall. A systematic evaluation for 2024 has shown that there were 118 reported drone incidents at German airports, nine of which led to the complete cessation of flight operations. This led to an estimated economic loss of around 500,000 euros. On average, these full closures lasted around 32 minutes, and some incidents even paralyzed air traffic for more than an hour.

A worrying trend

To underline the urgency of the situation: The number of drone sightings is more than twice as high as in the previous year. In Lower Saxony, the police recorded a total of 272 sightings from January to September - for comparison: there were only 131 cases in 2024. In view of this development, Interior Minister Daniela Behrens calls for increased technical action because the existing defense systems do not offer the necessary protection against drone threats. Currently, 7 million euros have been registered for new defense technologies to address the growing problem.

The increasing number of drone sightings also casts an economic shadow on air traffic. Airport operators and airlines not only face time delays but also potential image damage due to operational cessations. The DLR has determined that the economic impact of such incidents should not be underestimated. In the future, even more stringent regulations and early detection systems may be necessary to protect critical infrastructure such as airports and not to unnecessarily endanger flight operations.

The public is called upon to be vigilant and to report safety-related observations immediately. The development remains exciting and it remains to be seen how those responsible will respond to the constant challenges in aviation.