Drone sightings in MV: Reassure authorities – safety guaranteed!

Drone sightings in MV: Reassure authorities – safety guaranteed!

In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, concern about safety caused by unmanned aerial vehicles, better known as drones, has grown noticeably. Current reports report suspicious sightings at critical infrastructure and military sites, including the Bundeswehr site in Sanitz near Rostock. Contrary to these reports, the anti-aircraft missile group 21 (FlaRakGrp 21) has emphasized that it has not registered any drone overflights at the Sanitz site or other corresponding facilities World reported.

Numerous reports about alleged overflights go back to an internal note in the news magazine “Der Spiegel”. These concerns are not unfounded: the Schwerin Ministry of the Interior has documented an increase in such reports about critical infrastructure in recent months. In addition to Sanitz, the naval command in Rostock and the overseas port were also affected. However, there is currently no investigation by the Rostock public prosecutor's office in this matter, while similar incidents that affected a shipyard there are already being investigated in Schleswig-Holstein.

Drone defense is becoming an issue

The headlines about the threats posed by drones are increasing, and not without reason. In the first half of 2025, a total of 68 incidents in connection with unmanned aviation systems (ULS) were registered by the police in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. These included four reportable events: one incident over an offshore wind farm near Rügen and three over military installations. Details have not been published for confidentiality reasons, but concerns remain. Northern Courier points out that several incidents involving critical infrastructure have been documented since 2023, including at the Nord Stream AG landing station.

Get the knowledge you need now about drone defense, which is becoming increasingly important. The Interior Ministry is planning to set up a special drone defense center that will ensure both the detection and defense of drones. Interior Minister Christian Pegel highlights the dangers that drones pose to our critical infrastructure. At a conference of interior ministers in the coastal states, the need for a North German drone defense strategy was discussed in order to increase public safety.

Practical measures and expenses

The state police have already trained over 130 drone pilots and use this technology for reconnaissance, people search and surveillance, but not to defend against other drones. Instead, two unauthorized drones have already been repelled, including one during the Airbeat Festival. The security units have invested a total of 166,817.60 euros in the procurement of unmanned aviation systems and accessories in order to be optimally equipped. The head of the police union in MV, Christian Schumacher, is also calling for long-term financing and decentralized defense technology in order to be able to better meet the challenges.

In summary, it can be said that the threat posed by unmanned aircraft in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is taken seriously. The authorities are working to strengthen their own security and are relying on new techniques and strategies to be prepared against the growing danger. Further information on this topic and on protecting critical infrastructure can be found at Publicus.