BERLIN

The German government approved draft legislation on Wednesday that will establish a drone defense center and authorize federal police to intercept and neutralize suspected drones.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told a Berlin press conference that the changes to the Federal Police Act will grant authorities new powers to counter the growing threat from unauthorized and unidentified drones.

"The federal police will now have authority to employ all appropriate technical measures to defend against unauthorized drones," the minister said. "These measures include electromagnetic pulses, signal jamming, GPS interference, and physical interventions—both intercepting and shooting down drones will be permitted."

The federal police will specifically focus on protecting airports, train stations, and federal government institutions as part of their core responsibilities. They will also provide drone defense support to local police forces throughout the country through administrative assistance arrangements.

"We will establish a joint drone defense center and equip the federal police with state-of-the-art technology to combat unauthorized drones," Dobrindt said. "We will also create a dedicated drone defense unit within the federal police force that can be deployed nationwide at the request of federal states,” he added.