Bavaria moves to let police shoot down drones amid rising European sightings
Authorities in the German federal state of Bavaria have taken a significant step toward empowering police to shoot down unidentified drones, DPA news agency reported on Oct. 7.
The move comes as Europe faces a surge in mysterious drone sightings across several countries, heightening concerns over airspace security and possible foreign interference.
The Bavarian cabinet approved the law, which grants local police the authority to destroy drones if deemed necessary to ensure public safety. The decision also follows multiple drone sightings that disrupted air traffic at Munich International Airport earlier this month.
The growing frequency of such incidents has intensified fears that Russia could be probing European defenses or testing response times amid escalating tensions with NATO.
"There is no need to panic, but there is cause for great caution," Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Soder said. "The bottom line must be to shoot the (drones) down instead of waiting."
Under the proposed legislation, a new drone competence and defense center will be established for the Bavarian police in Erding, a city located close to Munich International Airport.
The bill still requires approval by the Bavarian regional parliament.
The measure follows two consecutive disruptions at Munich International Airport on Oct. 3, when authorities were forced to suspend flight operations due to multiple drone sightings near the airport.
Around 35 incoming flights were diverted or canceled, while 46 departures were postponed until Oct. 4. Airport officials reported that 6,500 passengers were affected by the disruptions.
Czech police also responded to anonymous reports of drone activity near Prague's Vaclav Havel Airport on the evening of Oct. 3, but no drones were found.
In recent weeks, Oslo Airport in Norway and Copenhagen Airport in Denmark were temporarily shut down due to similar drone sightings.
This coincides with several incidents involving Russian military drones and aircraft straying into NATO airspace.
In September, Polish forces shot down several Russian drones that entered Polish territory. Days later, a Russian drone breached Romanian airspace, though Bucharest chose not to engage it.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sept. 28 that intelligence reports indicate Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" of oil tankers is being used to "launch and control" Russian drones over European cities.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Oct. 5 that he believes Russia is responsible for many of the unidentified drones spotted over German territory, echoing concerns shared by NATO allies.
