German federal police will soon be allowed to shoot down unmanned aerial vehicles, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said Wednesday, after a spate of drone sightings believed to be Russian efforts to spy and intimidate.

Unveiling a draft law, Dobrindt said police would be authorised "to take state-of-the-art technical action against drone threats, for example with electromagnetic pulses, jamming, GPS interference, but also with physical means.

"This means that the interception and shooting down of drones will be regulated and possible for the Federal Police in the future."

Germany was learning about modern UAV defences from its allies Israel and Ukraine, he said, adding that it would also set up a joint drone defence centre for state and federal police to develop situation reports "a

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