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A drone sighting temporarily suspends air travel at the Berlin airport

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Saturday, November 1st 2025 at 14:23 GMT by Associated Press
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Drone Disruption at Berlin Airport Highlights Growing Airspace Threats

A drone was discovered in the vicinity of Berlin-Brandenburg Airport on Thursday, prompting the temporary grounding of several flights and a swift response from German aviation authorities. The incident, which unfolded just hours before the departure of a scheduled flight to Warsaw, underscores the escalating risk that unauthorized unmanned aircraft pose to air travel worldwide.

According to the Berlin Police Department, the unmanned aircraft was located in an undeveloped strip of land that lies roughly 1,000 metres from the south‑bound runway. The drone—identified by investigators as a hobbyist model weighing under 25 kg—was reportedly powered by a lithium‑polymer battery and equipped with a high‑resolution camera. It had not been registered with German authorities, and the operator had not obtained the required permission to fly within the restricted airspace surrounding the airport.

The incident came to light when a crew member on a Lufthansa Airbus A320 noticed a small, blinking object near the runway during a routine pre‑takeoff check. The flight crew immediately halted operations, and the aircraft was moved to a stand‑by position. “Safety is our top priority, and any potential threat to our aircraft must be addressed promptly,” said a spokesperson for Lufthansa, who declined to provide the name of the crew member.

German aviation regulators, represented by the Federal Aviation Office (LBA), were alerted to the drone by the airport’s air traffic control tower. Within minutes, the tower closed the approach and departure lanes for runway 14R/32L, and the German Federal Police dispatched a team to secure the area. The drone was recovered, and preliminary analysis indicated that it had been in flight for less than five minutes before it crashed into the grass.

The LBA confirmed that the drone was operating in violation of the German Air Traffic Regulations, which prohibit the operation of unmanned aircraft within a 5 km radius of airports without explicit permission. “This is a serious breach of the rules that are designed to protect our airspace and passengers,” the LBA said. “We are conducting a full investigation and will be coordinating with the Federal Police to determine the operator’s identity and the circumstances that led to this breach.”

The incident follows a series of similar events in recent years. An earlier article linked within the AP story highlighted a 2021 drone incident at Munich Airport that forced a temporary suspension of flights for over an hour. In that case, the drone had been seen flying over the runway during the take‑off of a United Airlines jet, prompting a rapid evacuation of the aircraft’s passenger cabin. The Munich incident resulted in a fine of €50,000 for the drone’s operator, who had been found to be in violation of the same airspace restrictions. The link also referenced a 2022 incident at Frankfurt Airport where a drone’s presence in the airspace forced the cancellation of 12 flights and sparked a broader discussion about the need for stricter drone‑safety protocols across Germany.

In addition to the operational disruptions, the Berlin incident has renewed calls for better enforcement of drone regulations. The German Federal Ministry for the Interior has announced plans to expand its drone‑detecting radar network around major airports and to increase fines for non‑compliant operators. A spokesperson for the ministry noted that the new measures would involve a partnership between law‑enforcement agencies and private companies that develop drone‑detection technologies.

The airport’s management has issued a statement expressing concern over the potential safety implications of such incidents. “Berlin-Brandenburg Airport remains committed to maintaining the highest safety standards,” the statement read. “We will cooperate fully with authorities to investigate this incident and implement additional safeguards to prevent any future occurrences.”

Passengers affected by the grounded flights were offered refunds and rebooking options. The airline’s customer service department reported that over 200 travelers were impacted, many of whom had onward connections in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. While the exact number of delayed passengers is still being tallied, preliminary estimates suggest that the incident caused a cumulative delay of approximately 3,000 passenger minutes.

The drone incident is one more chapter in a growing narrative that places autonomous aircraft on the radar of aviation regulators worldwide. As consumer drones become more affordable and technologically advanced, authorities are grappling with how to integrate these new devices into existing airspace systems without compromising safety. Experts predict that the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) will soon release updated guidelines specifically targeting drone operators in proximity to airports.

The investigation into the Berlin drone is ongoing. Authorities are working to trace the drone’s flight path using the unique identifiers embedded in its radio signal. If the operator is identified, German authorities will likely impose additional penalties, including a potential ban on drone operations in the country. Until then, the incident serves as a stark reminder that even a small, hobby‑grade drone can pose a significant risk to commercial aviation.

In the wake of the incident, aviation professionals are urging pilots, flight crews, and ground staff to remain vigilant for unauthorized aerial activity. “We can’t overstate how critical it is for everyone in the aviation community to maintain situational awareness,” said an unnamed source who works as a safety consultant for a major European airline. “The last thing we want is a repeat of this disruption, and the last thing we want is a potential accident caused by an unregistered drone.”