536 Drohnen verletzen in drei Monaten den deutschen Luftraum, einige mit fortgeschrittenen Fähigkeiten

Between April and June 2024, the German Air Force registered 536 drone sightings in national airspace, according to Bild. The data, released by the Bundeswehr, indicates that most detections occurred in border areas and near military facilities.

Germany’s Ministry of Defense said the increase in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) activity is linked to both civilian hobby use and potential reconnaissance operations by foreign intelligence services.

“We are seeing a rise in incidents where drones are flown in restricted zones, which is prohibited under aviation law,” the ministry noted.

While the majority of cases involved commercially available drones, several incidents reportedly featured larger UAVs with advanced flight capabilities, raising security concerns.

Military officials stressed that all unauthorized drone operations near sensitive sites are being investigated in cooperation with law enforcement agencies.

Earlier, it was reported that Russia has begun converting the ruined Donetsk International Airport into a drone “launchpad”—constructing storage shelters, control and payload-loading zones, and possibly reviving runway capabilities for operating Iranian–designed UAVs such as Shahed and Gerbera drones.