Majority of Germans Concerned About Explosive-Carrying Drone

Differences among supporters of various parties

According to the survey, AfD supporters are the least concerned about the drone incident; the AfD is frequently criticized by other parties for its less critical view of Russia—including in connection with the war of aggression in Ukraine. Only slightly more than a third of AfD voters express concern regarding the explosive-laden drone. Among BSW supporters, the figure is slightly higher, but still less than half.

Many still see room for improvement in drone defense

Another factor contributing to this concern is certainly the skepticism many citizens feel about the capabilities of German security agencies when it comes to drone defense. YouGov also asked survey participants the following question: “Based on everything you know, how well or poorly do you think Germany is prepared to defend against threats from hostile drones at airports and other critical infrastructure facilities?” Four out of five respondents see shortcomings in this area. One in two said Germany is “rather poorly” prepared for this. Thirty percent of respondents answered “very poorly.” Only 11 percent of German citizens believe Germany is well prepared for such cases. Nine percent of respondents answered “don’t know.”

Measures taken by the federal government to make progress in combating unmanned aerial vehicles include the creation of a Federal Police unit for drone defense, expanding research into new defense methods and equipment, and the establishment of a Joint Drone Defense Center by the federal and state governments.

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