Drone alarm via MV: Increasing threat to our infrastructure!

Drone alarm via MV: Increasing threat to our infrastructure!

Concern about the safety of critical infrastructure in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is growing: more and more drone overflights are being registered. In the first half of 2025, the police counted 68 incidents involving unmanned aerial vehicles (ULS), including four reportable incidents that took place over military installations and an offshore wind farm near Rügen. However, details about these military facilities remain obscure for confidentiality reasons. Compared to the six and seven cases of illegal overflights over security-sensitive areas in 2023 and 2024, there is a worrying increase in drone activity in the region [nordkurier.de].

The dangers posed by these drones should not be underestimated. Interior Minister Christian Pegel emphasizes that these unmanned aircraft can have potentially catastrophic effects. Drone flights over airports or other critical infrastructure could have dramatic consequences. In 2023, for example, incidents were observed at the Nord Stream AG landing station in Lubmin and the Rostock Port ferry terminal, which highlight the potential risks posed by these technologies.

Strategies to defend against drones

The state government has already taken steps to counter this menace. In September 2022, the establishment of a drone defense center was announced to enable integrated drone detection and defense. The technical systems for drone detection and defense were in place in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania by July 2024, and the state police have been actively involved in defending against drones since early summer 2024.

However, the legal ban on overflights over the police and the Bundeswehr continues to pose a challenge. In addition, over 130 drone pilots within the state police have completed their training in order to use the possible uses of drones for reconnaissance and surveillance purposes. This shows that technology is not only seen as a threat, but also as a useful tool. Christian Schumacher, head of the police union in MV, is also calling for long-term financing and decentralized defense techniques in order to be able to respond more effectively to the increasing threats.

The threat picture is unclear

Manuel Atug, a renowned security expert for critical infrastructure, emphasizes that Germany is ill-prepared for the threats posed by drones. Particularly striking is the repeated flying of unmanned aircraft with navigation lights on, suggesting that the attackers may not be operating in secret. These drones are often professionally designed and can remain airborne for extended periods, suggesting an organized threat, possibly even from Russia. An incident at Copenhagen Airport has only heightened these concerns, as the origin of the spotted drones remains unclear. The Danish government therefore describes the situation as a “systematic threat”.

In Germany, the defense against drones is spread across different authorities, which makes the response options complicated. Technical defense methods such as “jamming” or intercepting with nets each have their disadvantages and are not always effective, as Atug explains. While Defense Minister Boris Pistorius points out the limited options, Atug is more optimistic that what is necessary is being done, but progress is far too slow.

Looking ahead, it should be noted that both technical solutions and legal regulations are necessary to overcome the challenges that drones pose for critical infrastructure. Discourses about new regulations that affect drone defense are essential in order to inform operators of critical infrastructure about the threat situation [spiegel.de]. zdf.de emphasize. The coming months will be crucial to put the necessary measures in place to counter these threats.