Drone incidents have significantly disrupted air operations at German airports throughout 2025. According to the German Aerospace Center (DLR), 116 relevant interference cases were recorded across 25 commercial airports. The estimated economic damage resulting from these incidents is at least 60 million euros. This figure could rise to as much as 160 million euros if average network effects-such as follow-up costs arising from scheduling disruptions and delays-and cancelled flights are taken into account. Major central hubs, including the airports in Munich and Frankfurt, were particularly affected, experiencing restrictions lasting several days.
Florian Linke, the commissioned director at the DLR, commented that unauthorized drone flights near airports can inflict considerable economic damage while simultaneously posing a challenge to the safety and resilience of air traffic. He stressed that the findings of this analysis underscore the critical importance of the issue, especially given the high utilization and growing traffic volumes at modern airports.
The study suggests that the development of robust detection and countermeasures technologies is becoming increasingly vital to prevent future events. The sheer diversity of drones and the varied environments that need protection present particular deployment challenges. The DLR is currently working on advanced technologies designed to detect and repel drones effectively.
