Telekom and Rheinmetall Join Forces to Develop Drone Defence Shield for Germany

Deutsche Telekom and Rheinmetall have announced a strategic partnership to develop an advanced drone defence system designed to protect German cities and critical infrastructure from growing security threats linked to unauthorised drone activity.

The companies revealed plans to create what they described as a “defence shield” capable of detecting, disrupting, and intercepting drones during emergency situations. The initiative comes amid a sharp increase in suspicious drone incidents reported across Europe in recent years.

According to Rheinmetall, geopolitical tensions and rising concerns over sabotage activities have intensified the need for stronger protection around airports, military facilities, ports, industrial plants, and energy infrastructure.

The proposed system will combine multiple technologies, including advanced sensors, radar systems, audio and video monitoring, radio-frequency detection, jamming tools, and interceptor drones. In high-risk situations, laser-based defence mechanisms could also be deployed to neutralise aerial threats near sensitive locations.

Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) reported more than 1,000 suspicious drone flights during the previous year, with airports, military bases, and ports among the most commonly targeted areas.

In response to growing concerns, Germany recently introduced legislation authorising the military to shoot down drones in certain high-risk scenarios.

Armin Papperger said effective drone defence requires a sophisticated combination of detection systems, countermeasures, and secure communications infrastructure.

Deutsche Telekom stated that its role in the partnership would focus on cloud computing, connectivity solutions, artificial intelligence, and advanced data analysis technologies.

The telecommunications company has already been developing drone detection infrastructure since 2017. During the UEFA Euro 2024 football tournament, Telekom supported German police by monitoring and locating unauthorised drone flights near stadiums and event venues.

The company explained that its current systems integrate multiple detection methods, including passive radio-frequency monitoring technology capable of identifying more than 90 percent of low-altitude drones without actively emitting signals.

The partnership is also exploring solutions for a growing challenge in modern drone surveillance drones operated through mobile phone networks rather than traditional radio controllers.

Working alongside Helmut Schmidt University, Telekom researchers are studying how mobile network traffic patterns could help identify suspicious drone activity using 5G infrastructure.

The research is being conducted through an Ericsson-powered standalone 5G network installed at the university campus.

Meanwhile, Rheinmetall continues expanding its civilian drone defence operations. In late 2025, the company entered a strategic agreement with Hamburg police and the Hamburg Port Authority to improve security around the Port of Hamburg, where dense infrastructure and heavy radio traffic create additional challenges for drone monitoring.

Rheinmetall said it plans to develop customised drone protection solutions for critical infrastructure operators both within Germany and internationally.