The Bavarian state cabinet has approved a new security bill that will allow police officers to detect, intercept, and even shoot down drones threatening sensitive infrastructure. The move — announced just a week earlier by Minister-President Markus Söder (CSU) — was pushed through in record time, with cabinet approval granted only eight days after the proposal was introduced.
“Protecting our infrastructure has top priority,” Söder said on Tuesday. “We need speed and stronger powers. The police must be able to act decisively against drones and their operators.”
Expanded powers for police drone defense
Under the draft legislation, Bavaria’s police will gain far-reaching new powers to combat unauthorized or dangerous drone activity.
The bill explicitly allows officers to:
- Detect and track drones operating near or above critical infrastructure such as power plants, airports or government facilities.
- Assess potential threats posed by each detected drone.
- Neutralize drones, including taking control, capturing, or, if necessary, shooting them down.
- Operate their own armed drones, following the removal of the existing ban on weaponized police drones previously enshrined in Article 47 of the Bavarian Police Task Act.
Söder said the state would also develop its own fleet of armed police drones, adding that the technology could “take over control, disable, or — if required — eliminate hostile drones.”
Building a new ‘drone competence center’
Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann confirmed that the government will create a dedicated Drone Competence Center to coordinate training, technology procurement, and tactical operations.
“Until now, our drones were mainly used for observation — at borders, in search operations, or during natural disasters,” Herrmann explained. “In the future, we will also need armed systems capable of defending the airspace.”
The new unit will first support existing specialist teams in Munich and Nuremberg, which will be integrated into the riot-police divisions. Additional anti-drone squads will later be established throughout the state.
Next steps: parliamentary approval expected
The proposed Drone Defense Act still requires passage by the Bavarian Landtag, but officials expect approval before the end of the year.
“If the parliament agrees, the law can take effect by year’s end,” Herrmann said.
Once enacted, Bavaria would become the first German state to formally authorize police forces to use armed drones for defensive purposes, setting a precedent for other regions.
Federal response also in preparation
Meanwhile, the German Federal Interior Ministry is drafting similar regulations to strengthen drone defense capabilities for the Federal Police (Bundespolizei) — particularly at borders, airports, and railway hubs.
Security experts say the rapid proliferation of consumer and commercial drones has created new risks for aviation and critical infrastructure, forcing governments to adapt quickly.
Conclusion: Bavaria takes aim at the skies
With its fast-tracked legislation, Bavaria positions itself at the forefront of drone defense policy in Germany.
While supporters praise the move as a necessary step to protect key infrastructure, critics warn it raises questions over proportionality and surveillance powers.
Either way, the state’s skies are set to become the next frontier of German law enforcement.
