Overview

• Police in North Rhine-Westphalia demonstrated a multi-tool counter-drone kit including jammers, net launchers, software takeovers and a capture drone dubbed the “Drohnen-Hunter.”
• The public demo did not run flawlessly, with a net shot and the capture drone succeeding only on second attempts, underscoring operational challenges despite advanced tools.
• NRW reports around €30 million invested in counter-drone technology, with a large interceptor drone costing about €350,000 and radar detection reaching roughly 10 kilometers.
• Officials say the current setup targets civilian drones and is not designed for military systems; there is no evidence to date of Russian military-controlled drones in NRW, and officers are not to fire service pistols at drones for safety reasons.
• Reul plans to push for unified federal rules and clearer jurisdiction at the December interior ministers’ conference in Bremen, as responsibilities span Bundeswehr, federal police, air navigation authorities and state police, and a police union in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is also calling for a nationwide strategy and funding.