Between January and March of 2025, German authorities have reported 536 instances of unidentified drones seen flying over areas of sensitive nature, as per a recent federal report from Germany.
These incidents were detailed in a report from the Federal Criminal Police Office, titled ‘Drone as a Means of Crime,’ which was cited by the German media outlet, Bild. The report indicates that drones were detected in 270 individual events, with multi-drone sightings in at least 55 instances.
Reports indicate that nearly fifty percent of these sightings took place between 6 p.m. and midnight, with another 28% occurring between midnight and 6 a.m. Morning and afternoon accounted for the remaining sightings.
These drones were most commonly seen near military sites, with 117 incidents recorded in such locations. This included flights over the Wilhelmshaven naval base and up to fifteen drones seen over the Ramstein Air Base and Bremerhaven. Energy infrastructure was the second most frequent location for these sightings, with 88 incidents near liquefied natural gas terminals. Other sightings occurred over civilian airports, ports, railway stations, defense corporations, and government structures.
The report documents that 123 criminal investigations were initiated in response to these drone sightings. The control origin of these drones, foreign or otherwise, has yet to be confirmed or debunked by the authorities. Out of all incidents, only ten operators have been identified in eight cases.
While many drones appeared to be commercially available models, some were larger and possessed advanced capabilities, raising important security questions. Officials have linked the rise in drone sightings to both private hobbyist activity and potential reconnaissance by foreign intelligence services.
This raises important questions about the nature and purpose of these unauthorized flights near sensitive sites, which are currently under investigation by law enforcement.