Overview
- Residents in Düsseldorf spotted four Bundespolizei helicopters flying low over the city center on Monday and posted alarmed footage on social media.
- The Bundespolizei confirmed the flights were part of a coordinated, multi‑day cross‑Germany deployment involving about 14 federal and state police helicopters for formation and tactical flight instruction.
- Flight tracking and police statements show the group left Bonn‑Hangelar at about 9:39, circled Düsseldorf, routed past Essen and Bielefeld, and landed at the Bundespolizei airport in Gifhorn at roughly 11:40.
- The operation uses Eurocopter EC135, Airbus H145 and EC155 types whose differing range and endurance make the nationwide route feasible.
- The deployment is the final phase of a roughly 22‑month training course that began in autumn 2024 and culminates with license handovers on 22 October 2026, and officials say no security incident has been reported.