Germany planning stricter rules on downing illegal drones
Germany is to enhance its capabilities in countering the threat of illegal drone overflights, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has said following a week of scares in northern Europe.
"I aim to lay down in the air security law that the military will be able to provide domestic assistance to the police," Dobrindt told the Rheinische Post newspaper in remarks published on Saturday.
The minister said his aim was to set up a drone competency centre combining the federal and state governments and the military.
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A ministry spokesman said talks were ongoing to reform police legislation and to amend the air security law.
According to the Bild tabloid newspaper, the use of force is to be permitted in the event of an acute threat.
A change to the air security law was initiated by the previous government in January. It would have allowed the use of armed force against autonomous aircraft. The intervening elections prevented its passage.
