Unidentified drones disrupt air traffic at Hanover airport
Air traffic at Hanover Airport in northern Germany was disrupted after several unidentified drones were spotted flying near the facility on Friday evening, according to local media reports. As a precautionary measure, airport authorities temporarily closed two runways, leading to flight cancellations and delays.
Several aircraft were diverted to alternative airports, including Paderborn and Bremen, while some scheduled flights for the following morning, notably to Frankfurt and Paris, were also canceled. Witnesses reported that the flying objects were visible to the naked eye, raising immediate security concerns.
The incident comes amid growing alarm in Germany over the increasing number of drone sightings near sensitive infrastructure. Authorities have reported more than a thousand cases of unidentified drone overflights in 2025 alone, affecting military sites, airports, ports, and industrial facilities linked to defense production.
In response to these threats, Germany has strengthened its counter-drone measures. A joint national center dedicated to anti-drone defense has recently been established in Berlin to coordinate intelligence-sharing and operational responses among police forces, the military, and intelligence agencies. Specialized police units have also been deployed at airports and critical locations across the country to prevent further disruptions.
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