Drone chaos at airports: NRW reports alarming incidents!

Drone chaos at airports: NRW reports alarming incidents!

The number of incidents with drones at airports in North Rhine-Westphalia increases alarming. Experience with this problem has also become known at the Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport, with two disabilities being recorded by drones last year. Overall, more than 30 such incidents were registered at the airports in North Rhine -Westphalia, an increase compared to previous years. Radio Hochstift reports that reports on drone sightings must be passed on to the police immediately. Leaving a drone near an airport is considered a dangerous intervention in air traffic and is treated as a crime.

The airport in Büren-Ahden has a special prohibition protection that includes a radius of 1.5 kilometers around the airport. Under these circumstances, it is all the more worrying that the number of incidents at large airports in North Rhine-Westphalia rose in 2024. According to the German air traffic control (DFS), a significant increase in "reported disabilities" caused by drones compared to 2023.

statistics on drone incidents

In 2024 11 incidents were registered in Düsseldorf, even 12 in Cologne, which represents an increase compared to 2023. Münster reported three incidents in 2024, in the previous year it was only one. Two incidents were occurred at the Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport, compared to a only registered incident in 2023. Annations were also recorded at other regional airports such as Dortmund and Mönchengladbach, whereby Dortmund remained stable and Mönchengladbach reported an incident that was not registered in the previous year.

• Cologne: 12 incidents (2023: 8)
• Düsseldorf: 11 incidents (2023: 9)
• Münster: 3 incidents (2023: 1)
• Paderborn: 2 incidents (2023: 1)
• Dortmund: 2 incidents (2023: 2)
• Mönchengladbach: 1 incident (2023: 0)
• Weeze: 0 incidents (2023: 1)

The rapid forwarding of each message to the police is crucial because it is not only about the safety of air traffic, but also about compliance with the legal provisions. The operation has been regulated across the EU since 2021. These rules require drone operators to register and divide the operation into several categories to ensure clearly defined security standards.

regulations for drone operators

The new EU rules differentiate between the open, specifically and subject to admission. These include, among other things, requirements for drones that exceed a certain mass or other operating properties. Operators of drones that are active in the open category and weigh over 250 grams must register, while more effective control mechanisms should ensure that dangerous inserts are prevented. n-tv emphasizes that every incident has serious consequences for the aviation.

The continued increase in drone incidents in North Rhine-Westphalia illustrates the need for a comprehensive clarification of the population about the responsibility with drones. Ultimately, both the guarantee of flight safety and the legal framework are essential to protect air space security and minimize potential risks. bmvi offers extensive information and information for drone operators.