Another Drone sighting shuts down Airport in Spain

[dirkclod]

This was posted yesterday but due to the rukas the OP made it was deleted
so thought I would repost the link.

Air Traffic Disrupted at Madrid Airport Following Drone Sighting Reports

The last time an airport in Europe was disrupted following supposed sightings of drones, London Gatwick was locked down for 36 hours, over 1,000 flights were diverted or cancelled, and more than 140,000 passengers had their travel plans ruined. Today, a similar but fortunately less dramatic...

dronelife.us8.list-manage.com

 

[Phantom Phil]

If it turns out not to be a drone (as it has happened in the past), they should post a retraction or issue a public mea culpa to all drone pilots and vindicate our good name.

Too often (almost always) only the negative, unconfirmed news makes its rounds and paints us as a menace to society.

Enough is enough, already!

I have said my piece.

 

[dirkclod]

Well from reading it it does say

For now, we’ll wait for confirmation on the drone sighting reports in Madrid. Past incidents have turned out to be bats, balloons and plastic bags – which you can read more about here: 5 Times It Wasn’t A Drone After All.

 

[Phantom Phil]

Well from reading it it does say

"Drone spotted near airport" sells news on major networks/newspapers. "Drone turns out be a balloon/plastic bag/bird/etc." does not sell news and is less likely to get publicity on major networks/newspapers.

 

[dirkclod]

"Drone spotted near airport" sells news on major networks/newspapers. "Drone turns out be a balloon/plastic bag/bird/etc." does not sell news and is less likely to get publicity on major networks/newspapers.

I believe we are all aware of that I was just quoting what was in that article .

 

[Lastrexking]

This is so frustrating. If these sightings are genuine ( and, I’m not convinced they are) then it’s probably a larger group with a cause rather than some random banana flying a drone somewhere they shouldn’t.

 

[sar104]

This is so frustrating. If these sightings are genuine ( and, I’m not convinced they are) then it’s probably a larger group with a cause rather than some random banana flying a drone somewhere they shouldn’t.

What do you base that on? YouTube is full of videos of flights near airports by individuals who either don't know better or don't care. So we know this stuff is happening and yet still, as soon as anything like this is reported, everyone seems to go into full denial mode. The fact of some previous reports being mistaken doesn't make that the likely explanation

 

[BigAl07]

What do you base that on? YouTube is full of videos of flights near airports by individuals who either don't know better or don't care. So we know this stuff is happening and yet still, as soon as anything like this is reported, everyone seems to go into full denial mode. The fact of some previous reports being mistaken doesn't make that the likely explanation

100% correct!!

That type of activity happens daily and is recorded and shared online constantly. Yet every time it's picked up by reporters (and I'm NOT A fan of reporters at ALL) everyone in our industry goes on full DENIAL ranting and raving how fake/unproven it is.

I think we're very lucky more incidents aren't picked up and reported...

 

[Lastrexking]

What do you base that on? YouTube is full of videos of flights near airports by individuals who either don't know better or don't care. So we know this stuff is happening and yet still, as soon as anything like this is reported, everyone seems to go into full denial mode. The fact of some previous reports being mistaken doesn't make that the likely explanation

Here in the UK we’ve had environmental groups threaten to use drones near airports to disrupt flights. Several people were arrested.

Plus, not one photo of a drone has been provided for the Gatwick incident. Literally thousands of people with camera on their phones, and four days of tv cameras and not one photo.

 

[sar104]

Here in the UK we’ve had environmental groups threaten to use drones near airports to disrupt flights. Several people were arrested

And yet that incident has never actually happened, whereas there are numerous documented cases of drones flying at and around airports. Hence my question.

 

[Lastrexking]

I

And yet that incident has never actually happened, whereas there are numerous documented cases of drones flying at and around airports. Hence my question.

Had to edit my post.... clicked post reply before I’d finished. The rest of my reply is there now.

I’m not saying these incidents don’t happen. But, the drone flying community has become an easy target. I’ve seen reports in the news here where pilots are claiming run ins with drones at altitudes civilian drones can’t possibly reach. And, as mentioned above - Gatwick.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

This is a drone news article, but it is making news in regular media too . . .

https://www.google.com/search?q=drone+madrid+airport+drone&rlz=1C1GGRV_enAU751AU751&sxsrf=ACYBGNRSWt8M2rrG_PZHWvaE3wYWmJHF4A:1580851206052&source=lnms&tbm=nws&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjQhtHU6bjnAhUf83MBHRFWBtYQ_AUoAnoECAsQBA&biw=1680&bih=907

Even Ghana news !!

Drones force temporary closure of airspace around Madrid's airport | News Ghana

The airspace over and around Madrid's Adolfo Suarez-Barajas airport was closed to air traffic for more than an hour on Monday after drones were reportedly flying in the area, the Spanish airports authority AENA confirmed. The drones were reported at around 12:40 local time (1140 GMT) and caused...

www.newsghana.com.gh

Obviously the plural (drones) in the articles are possibly multiple sightings of one drone (one too many !), by the pilots who reportedly saw it.
Unfortunate that more than one pilot did say they saw a drone, this indicates it was on an approach / departure, and of course this is very bad for safety and our hobby / commercial drone use.

More ammo for the anti drone lobby for bans or more control.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

And, as mentioned above - Gatwick.

Never proven, but still in everyones' minds . . . even if it didn't happen, it might as well have, for all the hysteria it's created.

 

[Lastrexking]

Never proven, but still in everyones' minds . . . even if it didn't happen, it might as well have, for all the hysteria it's created.

Exactly. Might as well have been a flying saucer.

 

[dirkclod]

​

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

View attachment 93120​

I suspect one day we all will, for sure !! Lol.