Drone alarm at Munich Airport: Chaos and new rules threaten!

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The focus of Dillingen on the Danube: Drone sightings disrupt flight operations at Munich Airport - politics discusses measures.

Dillingen an der Donau im Fokus: Drohnensichtungen stören Flugbetrieb am Münchner Flughafen – Politik diskutiert Maßnahmen.
Dillingen on the Danube in focus: Drone sightings disrupt flight operations at Munich Airport - politicians discuss measures.

Drone alarm at Munich Airport: Chaos and new rules threaten!

In the past few weeks, drones have increasingly become the focus of the public and politics. In particular, the sightings around Munich Airport caused a good excitement. As early as October 4, 2025, there were a standstill in flight operations due to several drone sightings when both runways were closed at 9:36 p.m. A total of 6,500 passengers were affected by this incident, which led to a chaos in view of the diverted flights and cancellations. Many travelers had to spend the night at the airport because a night flight ban also made the situation even more difficult. As the Daily show reported, that was not the first incident of this kind, because flight operations were previously stopped for a few hours on the basis of similar sightings.

What is particularly piquant is the fact that the sightings could not be clearly assigned. The drones were spotted in the north and south runway area before moving out of sight. This raises concerns, even among trained drone pilots. A commercial pilot expressed concern that the ongoing debate over security around airports could complicate his job. Especially since special no-fly zones have been set up in the Dillingen district, which drone pilots should definitely avoid, like this Augsburger-LAUS reported.

Regulation and security

Another aspect that should not be missing in the discussion is the legal basis for drone operators. An EU-wide regulation has been based on a decision by the European Commission since 2021. These regulations divide drones into different categories, which range from open to admission drones. What does that mean? Companies that use drones with a mass of over 250 g must register. Pilots who use cameras or sensors are also obliged to mark their devices. The BMV emphasizes that new rules and the planned new Air Security Act, which will soon be submitted, should offer additional measures to improve protection from drones.

Overall, the current discourse around the use of drones shows that it is time to sharpen guidelines while raising awareness of the risks. In the future, military resources could even be mobilized to support this area, which Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt promised. The challenges in aviation require innovative solutions, especially because drones are increasingly being incorporated into political and safety considerations.