Drone alarms at Munich Airport: Safety at risk!

Drone alarms at Munich Airport: Safety at risk!

Exciting times for air traffic in Germany: Drone sightings were reported at Munich Airport on Thursday evening, which led to a comprehensive stop to flight operations. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) expressed concern about these developments in an ARD interview and spoke of a serious threat to security. In his opinion, this is not just about sightings, but should also unsettle the population. He also reported that the drones were not armed, but there were still spying attempts. It is important to point out the growing number of free riders who provoke provocations with their private drones.

The situation came to a head on Friday evening when several drones were spotted over the runways of Munich Airport at around 11 p.m., which led to the immediate closure of the runways. Both the federal and state police searched the area and the airspace, but were unsuccessful in locating a specific perpetrator. It remains unclear whether there really was a concrete danger to air traffic.

Shaky prospects for flight operations

After the incidents, Munich Airport had to suspend flight operations on Friday until the next morning. A total of 81 flights were affected; 12 were cancelled, 23 were rerouted and 46 were canceled or postponed. Around 6,500 travelers were affected, some of whom had to spend the night in the airport. To accommodate travelers, the airport administration provided cots, blankets, drinks and snacks. There had already been at least one drone sighting over a Bundeswehr location in Erding, which set alarm bells ringing.

Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann was also critical and called for expanded powers for the police to defend against drones. This is in line with the plans of Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who announced a significant change to the Aviation Security Act and held out the prospect of a new drone defense center. Such a competence center would help to better manage the growing challenge of drone sightings.

International dimensions and social reactions

The incidents in Germany are not isolated - similar sightings have also been reported at other European airports, with some countries blaming Russia for these developments. However, the Kremlin has firmly rejected these allegations. The discussion about the background to the drone sightings is already making waves in the media and politics. The topic will be discussed in greater detail in the “Munich Round” this evening at 8:15 p.m. on BR television, where high-ranking guests will discuss the situation.

The legal situation regarding drone shooting is also hotly debated. At the moment, the state police units are responsible for illegal drone flights over civilian areas, but they are not allowed to shoot down drones. The Bundeswehr, on the other hand, would be responsible in the event of an operation over military areas, which makes the issue even more complicated. “In the current situation, Germany is ill-prepared for drone provocations,” said political scientist Stefan Meister.

Overall, there is a clear trend: the number of drone disruptions increased sharply in Germany in 2025 - by the end of August, 144 cases had been recorded. The development of effective defense measures and a better legal framework is essential for the future. Given these challenges, the question remains how the responsible authorities will react in the future. Is this the new normal in the skies over Germany?

The public can only hope that the drone provocations will come to an end quickly and that the responsible authorities will take appropriate measures to ensure safety in the airspace. It remains to be seen what will happen in the coming weeks.

For further information you can read the following reports: Deutschlandfunk, The time, and BR.de.