Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, has voted to expand the armed forces' authority to intercept or shoot down drones amid a sharp rise in sightings since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Lawmakers approved amendments to the air security law enabling quicker and more flexible responses.
As reported by Reuters, under the new rules, the Bundeswehr can deploy jamming devices or weapons when civilian authorities request assistance. The defence ministry will also be able to authorise operations independently in urgent situations, accelerating reaction times to potential threats.
Police remain responsible for drone enforcement but often lack specialised equipment. The legislation also tightens penalties for flying drones into airport airspace, making such offences punishable by up to two years in prison instead of fines...