Background: New drone missions with a BVLOS profile
In an announcement dated 12 May 2025, the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport announced the establishment of five new danger zones (ED-D) in the Bremen flight information area. These include various sectors of the Mecklenburg Bay and apply in the period from 19 May 2025 (00:00 UTC) until 31 December 2025 (22:00 UTC).
The aim is to Test and operational flights of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAS)which out of sight of the driver (BVLOS - Beyond Visual Line of Sight) to allocate protected airspace. This type of flight operation is not compatible with conventional visual flight rules and can pose a considerable risk for manned aircraft.
The affected areas at a glance
The hazard areas have been divided into five sectors - sectors A to E - which together cover a large part of Mecklenburg Bay. All areas extend from ground level (MSL) to 2,000 feet above sea level (AMSL).
Sector A
- Location: In the immediate vicinity of the coastline south-east of Fehmarn
- Area: Smaller area, possibly test field for short BVLOS routes
Sector B
- Covers a larger area west to north of Wismar
- Covers several coastal sea areas
Sector C
- Extends from north of Wismar to the central bay east of Kühlungsborn
- One of the largest areas in terms of surface area
Sector D
- Reaches far east to the coast of the island of Rügen
- Presumably used for long-haul scenarios
Sector E
- Located far to the east, close to the Danish border
- Seamless transition to international maritime transport areas conceivable
Significance for general aviation
This determination primarily concerns the VFR traffic at low altitudes - These include motorised aircraft, microlight aircraft, helicopters and gliders in coastal areas. Training and practice flights in particular, as well as maritime route planning between the North Sea and Baltic coasts, must take the new airspace structures into account when preparing for flights.
Pilots become urgently requestedto avoid the affected areas. You can obtain up-to-date information on the status of the danger areas via the Flight information service Langen on the frequencies 125.100 MHz and 132.650 MHz. Contact must be made before travelling through the region.
Classification: Why BVLOS is a safety issue
BVLOS flights are regarded as a key technology for numerous forward-looking applications: Logistics, offshore maintenance, environmental monitoring and emergency care. They enable ranges and flight profiles that cannot be achieved with conventional visual control.
But they also harbour risks:
- No direct evasive action by the drone pilot
- Delayed response times in the event of signal loss
- Danger for manned aircraft if not integrated into the airspace
Therefore Special airspacesSuch as the danger zones that have now been established are essential for the safe testing and deployment of these systems - but at the same time a challenge for other air traffic.
Pilots should regularly inform themselves about current AIP SUPs and NOTAMs in order to avoid collisions and be legally compliant when travelling.
Source references:
NFL (the link requires a subscription to Eisenschmidt)