Gatwick Airport (UK) suspends flights due to Drone activity

[schojac]

Geofencing needs to be made legal requirement otherwise we will be banned.

 

[zocalo]

Shooting them down might be difficult but would it be possible to use some electronic means to jam the signal? As all legitimate planes seem to have been grounded that would cause a risk to them.

You could potentially flood the relevant frequencies with noise, but that's going to mean fly-aways and them dropping out of the sky in an uncontrolled manner. It's also going to play havoc with other things that use those frequency bands, some of which might have safety implications. OK if you don't care about the collateral damage - e.g. a warzone - not, really suitable for an urban area.

As others have said, I hope these idiots get caught and fined/jailed to the maximum extent of the law, but I suspect the damage is done. We can almost certainly expect legislation with even more limitations on where we can and can't fly to be introduced next year, and some form of mandatory registration/tracking seems like just a matter of time.

 

[Jerry]

News says this has been going on for nearly 13 hours and the drones are still flying..they are showing video or the airport and passengers... call me cynical but love some pics of the drones ..

 

[Keule]

News says this has been going on for nearly 13 hours and the drones are still flying..

... and LEO can't get hold of the operator ???

 

[Jerry]

Oh and some MP just said the police are going to get more powers..

 

[sparkorc]

This drone or drones that are still causing severe deliberate disruption to Gatwick Airport flights are most likely to have been scratch built and that’s why its proving difficult to locate and track, this is defiantly not your normal average drones or pilot that does not know the law regarding drone flying near airports, this is a deliberate act of disruption to the airport and the sooner the police catch the person or persons responsible the airport can reopen, this must have cost hundreds of thousands in lost revenue apart from the inconvenience to passengers, and potentially putting lives at risk, this act of deliberate disruption will not do our hobby any favours worldwide.

 

[4wd]

I'm quietly suspecting climate campaigners who seem to be on a roll lately.

( Why have people glued themselves to gates? )

 

[ataraxia]

I'm quietly suspecting climate campaigners who seem to be on a roll lately.

( Why have people glued themselves to gates? )

Or somebody wanting an outright ban on drones? Or actual terrorism? I think we can assume at this point that it's not some kids doing it or troublemakers, there's something serious going on here and I'm interested to see what kind of contraption is able to last flying this long. This ain't no Mavic, that's for sure.

 

[Harrissment]

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footage of the drone people are saying

 

[waylander]

So in the 1980's I held a Section 1 firearms certificate, which entitled me to own, shoot and transport hand guns to shooting competitions.
The knee jerk reaction of the UK government to two incidents, Dunblane and Hungerford , effectively put a stop to the public ownership of
hand guns for whatever purpose. and I was forced to surrender all of the hand guns I owned, for a pittance of financial compensation.

Don't get me wrong the killings at both Dunblane and Hungerford were horrendous and abhorrent, but both of the perpetrators of these crimes
were know to the Police, and know as unsavoury and unstable gun owners, but their licences were never revoked.

What has this got to do with drones..... nothing except the Knee jerk reaction of the UK government, when faced with pressured public opinion.
Was the gun ban done after extensive public consultation, NO ! was it done after consultation with manufactures and shooting organisations, NO !

Do you think that the same thing could happen to drone ownership YES ! if enough pressure was exerted by the public, 10,000 of whom have just had
their Christmas holiday travel plans disrupted, and the travel industry has lost £ 100,000's of pounds worth of revenue.

Does it matter to the UK government that the perpetrators were illegally operating drones to deliberately disrupt flights, not in the greater context.

Just another nail in the coffin I feel....

PS I also posted this in Phantom Pilots forum

Waylander

 

[ataraxia]

A lot of people are saying that legislation has not caught up with technology. Yes it has, they are currently breaking the law, the issue is the enforcement of it. The laws cover it, but our current infrastructure doesn't. We need to be able to handle rogue drone pilots.

 

[Slim.slamma]

... and LEO can't get hold of the operator ???

Word Up!

 

[dannybgoode]

Update as of now.
All flights are grounded.
2 drones have been seen.

The BBC are loving this...we drone owners are classed as terrorists according to them.
Bring on the law...
A new license will be required with a price tag of £1000s
The laws and by laws of ownership in this country are confusing enough.
Soon you'll be fined/jailed if you scratch your arse while you fly.
My drone is flying right now towards EBay.

You keep citing licensing costs of £1000+ - can you link to a source please.

Back on topic - if this is drone related they should get 5 years. Pillocks. Can’t see what extending the nfz around airports will do - the 1km is fine if people stick to it. 10km is useless if they don’t.

 

[pross]

I reckon it was a chinese lantern with a light on it. No drone can stay up for that long.

 

[Tazbone]

This is a good idea.....if one purchases a drone,their details should be taken along with proof ID.
Job done.
In India registration is required and an app is installed too.
One requests through the app permission to fly...if permission is not granted and the owner tries to fly,then the app takes over the drone and shuts it down.

 

[pross]

This is a good idea.....if one purchases a drone,their details should be taken along with proof ID.
Job done.
I'n India registration is required and an app is installed too.
One requests through the app permission to fly...if permission is not granted and the owner tries to fly,then the app takes over the drone and shuts it down.

What about home made drones? What about 2nd hand drones?

 

[Tazbone]

You keep citing licensing costs of £1000+ - can you link to a source please.

Back on topic - if this is drone related they should get 5 years. Pillocks. Can’t see what extending the nfz around airports will do - the 1km is fine if people stick to it. 10km is useless if they don’t.

Not me mate....I do recall that post you mention...it was in relation to some details of Europe legislation.
I too have requested the poster to link to such costs.

I'm stating with the experience of this government that no doubt a cost will be enforced with ownership of drones.
Especially with today's event.
Hope this sorts out your confusion fella.

UK and EU Fly rules for recreation fly, time to sell or buy a drone?

 

[Congoblue]

I reckon it was a chinese lantern with a light on it. No drone can stay up for that long.

Neither can a chinese lantern. Drone sightings were reported from 2100 last night and it was still over the airport at 0900 this morning. Either lots of people with multiple drones working as a team or some sightings are mistaken.

This is a good idea.....if one purchases a drone,their details should be taken along with proof ID.
Job done.
I'n India registration is required and an app is installed too.
One requests through the app permission to fly...if permission is not granted and the owner tries to fly,then the app takes over the drone and shuts it down.

This is the same in the UK for DJI drones, but it is not that hard to make one yourself which has no restrictions.

 

[Tazbone]

What about home made drones? What about 2nd hand drones?

Home made drone made illegal.
2nd hand drones again need to be registered.
When you sell a car... You inform the DVLA with the details of the new owner.
Same procedure.

 

[gnirtS]

Im thinking RC planes more than drones here. That or birds and paranoia after the initial incident.

If its a consumer drone they can tell within seconds with RF sniffers.