I spotted this in a few places on the web (
BBC and
Sky, then a few Google result for more info) but not on TV and I don't do print any more. Probably because even the initial reporting made it clear this was more likely a non-event and Gatwick might have over reacted a bit in a perhaps understandable over-abundance of caution.
According to the stories I read, firstly, only a *possible* sighting (even by it was a pilot), and secondly it was *outside* the new 5km exclusion zone.
OK, that doesn't rule out a drone, but at 5km out an aircraft is more than likely either on final approach and still at a decent altitude, or is departing and climbing/banking. Neither of which allows much time for drone spotting, let alone positive drone IDing.
I'll give Gatwick the benefit of the doubt and say they got the report, started to react by diverting flights just in case, then realised the location and circumstances meant minimal risk/unlikely to actually be a drone and resumed normal operations. To their credit all this happened in the time it took for only three flights to be diverted, so their ability to correct after a false positive isn't too bad, really.
No surprise that the word "drone" is still a hot topic for the online media though, for good or bad.
www.independent.co.uk
