Overview

• Bavaria’s cabinet plans to amend the Polizeiaufgabengesetz to give the Landespolizei broader authority to detect drones and, in defined cases, intercept or shoot them down after disruptive sightings near Munich Airport and a nearby Bundeswehr site.
• Minister-President Markus Söder urged development of “capture” and “hunter” drones in Bavaria to pursue and neutralize hostile devices when other measures fail.
• Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt is pursuing a joint drone‑defence center with the Federal Police, customs, BKA and state authorities, with the Bundeswehr available for assistance as it already briefly supported searches at Munich.
• Experts warn that downing drones over civilian areas risks debris and potential explosive payloads, underscoring the legal and safety hurdles to shoot‑down policies.
• National figures press for unified action as Merz and Söder suggest possible Russian involvement and the Kremlin rejects the claim, while opposition voices call for clear responsibilities and better police equipment over unilateral moves.