Germany logs over 1,000 mystery drones, mostly near military sites
Illustrative photo: More than 1,000 unidentified drones recorded in Germany over one year (Getty Images)
German police have recorded more than one thousand suspicious drone flights over the country since the beginning of the year, most of them over military facilities, citing an internal federal threat assessment on the criminal use of drones, according to Welt.
The document was compiled for the first time and consolidates all data on suspicious incidents, including information provided by the Bundeswehr. Military bases, airports, and critical infrastructure facilities—particularly defense industry sites and port infrastructure—were most frequently targeted.
The head of the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), Holger Münch, said Germany is currently facing a “pronounced level of threat” linked to drone activity. At the same time, he emphasized that it is not always possible to determine with certainty who is operating the drones.
According to Münch, identifying drone operators remains extremely difficult. However, in many cases, he believes the activity shows signs of being state-controlled and aimed at spreading uncertainty and pressure.
Beyond the psychological effect, such flights may also serve reconnaissance purposes. Drones have been spotted over military facilities where Ukrainian troops are undergoing training. According to the BKA chief, drones may collect data from smartphones located within their flight range, potentially allowing identification later directly on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Drones over EU countries
In 2025, Germany recorded a sharp increase in cases of unauthorized drone use. According to The Wall Street Journal, law enforcement has documented more than a thousand such incidents since the start of the year.
Drone activity has also recently been observed in several European countries, particularly near airports. In Brussels and Liège, the appearance of drones caused serious disruptions to air traffic.
In response, the Chief of the General Staff of the Belgian Armed Forces, Frederik Vansina, ordered the military to shoot down suspicious drones—but only if there is no threat to civilians or infrastructure.
Similar incidents occurred in Sweden, where drone activity temporarily forced airport closures. In Germany, authorities do not rule out that the surge in drone activity may be linked to discussions about using frozen Russian assets held at Belgium-based financial institution Euroclear to support Ukraine.
