Mysterious drone overflights in Brandenburg: Who is behind it?

Mysterious drone overflights in Brandenburg: Who is behind it?

In recent days, mysterious drone sightings over the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district in Brandenburg have caused excitement among residents. How Daily Mirror reported, citizens report observations that include up to ten drones flying in parallel. What is particularly striking is that these overflights primarily take place in the evening hours, which fuels speculation about the origin and purpose of these flying objects.

Office director Christian Konzack from Ruhland expresses the suspicion that the drones could possibly be of military origin. Contrary to this assumption, the Bundeswehr declared that it would not carry out any exercises in the region. This raises questions: Who is flying the ominous drones and what is their goal? The police were informed about the sightings on the weekend of October 18th, which led to a cross-country operation. The areas most affected are Arnsdorf, Guteborn, Schwarzbach and Jannowitz.

Unclear origin and potential dangers

The sightings were not only reported in Brandenburg; There were also similar incidents in northern Germany. Loud daily news March 2025 was full of reports of drone overflights over military bases and critical infrastructure. Places such as the Wilhelmshaven naval base and Bremerhaven were affected, with drones with a wingspan of three to six meters being spotted here.

There are ongoing suspicions that the drones could be used for espionage and possibly to prepare for sabotage operations. Security agencies are concerned about the increasing number of such sightings, which rose nationwide from 172 in 2022 to 446 in 2023. In Lower Saxony in particular, the numbers rose from 41 to 131 incidents between 2022 and 2024. The background to these activities remains unclear, and experts may even suspect connections to Russian operations.

Technical challenges and legal framework conditions

Identifying these drones is extremely difficult for the Bundeswehr and police. Even less traditional defense methods, such as jamming technologies, often proved ineffective. The legal framework makes defense even more difficult: the Bundeswehr is only allowed to directly attack drones in exceptional cases, which makes the situation even more complicated. A corresponding proposal to authorize the use of armed force against unmanned aircraft is awaiting approval from the Bundestag.

These developments also raise questions about military deployment options. Military drones such as the “Heron 1” model are often used for reconnaissance and surveillance. With a range of over 1,000 km, they are an important component in many current conflicts, such as the Middle East conflict or Ukraine. However, there are also ethical concerns when it comes to using such systems in war zones, as shown by the Federal Constitutional Court's ruling that does not hold Germany responsible for US drone attacks.

Overall, the situation remains confusing and raises many questions. While the sightings in Brandenburg and northern Germany continue to pique public interest, it remains to be seen how authorities and security forces will respond to these developments. In the meantime, experts advise citizens to be vigilant and, especially if there are further sightings, to inform the police.