Gatwick Airport (UK) suspends flights due to Drone activity

[Vimana]

There is video footage from what was seen last night in this article:

Flights CANCELLED: Moment ILLEGAL drone spotted causing Gatwick Christmas chaos – VIDEO

Guardian live reporting say that sharpshooters have arrived and military are involved:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1075760024826261504

Not a good time to be a newbie droner...

 

[Congoblue]

There is video footage from what was seen last night in this article:

That's just what someone saw out of a plane window - as the guy who took the video says, he thinks it's a helicopter looking for the drone.

 

[Vimana]

Agreed. Unfortunately, other press sources have taken it up and the Guardian live feed is using this photo on its lead. I suspect it won't be a drone looking like this one....:

 

[Congoblue]

Yeah all the pics are just stock photos of various DJI drones, since nobody has actually managed to photograph whatever it is that is at Gatwick.

 

[Jackcutrone]

Don't be an idiot all your life jack

I apologize for making that post personal. I should not have done so. That being said, I don't think they shut down Gatwick for that length of time because someone imagined that they saw one or two commercial size drones.

 

[Johnmcl7]

https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/im...ort-travel-drones-1061600.jpg?r=1545295069340

I still don't believe that's a drone, the type of light looks nothing like one and if the drone is that easy to spot, why has no one been able to follow it given there's been sustained flights or even get different pictures of it?

The way these drones are being talked about you'd think they can teleport or similar given they're so easily spotted apparently but no-one has been able to track where they come from or where they go?

It reminds me of a few years back when I was doing a 550 mile drive and there was a radio story about a large wild cat on the loose. As I was listening to the radio all day I was hearing all the updates which went from someone 'seeing' the wild animal then after a few hours there were discussion panels, panic headlines, questions about evacuating people and an increasing number of eye witness accounts but curiously, no photos. It didn't make sense as there was no zoo or similar nearby and no reported missing animals of that type either, the eye witness reports were completely inconsistent as well. Unsurprisingly it all fizzled out and it seems the original 'sighting' had been someone who saw a housecat in the wild and panicked.

I'm not saying this is necessarily the same but it's certainly post for things like this to get completely out of hand even though it makes no sense and there's a lack of evidence.

 

[Jackcutrone]

will ne interesting to see the final chapter in this

 

[InvisibleName]

And your reason is?

See zocalo response

 

[Geoffsh]

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.

Police drones should be able to take them out. Cheaper to replace them than the havoc these idiots cause

 

[choo choo]

Now its been confirmed that the Army have been called in to assist....as per a previous poster, I can’t wait to see how this resolves.

 

[Keule]

Now its been confirmed that the Army have been called in to assist

Now that escalated quickly ...

Seriously, it's unbelivable that the authorities are unable to
- bring down the rogue drones
- locate the operator(s)
- restore airport flight operations to normal.

What might be the problem?

 

[Billywiz1307]

Dylan at iKopta on YouTube

discussed Auroscope Drone Detection kit.

I'm more concerned that this has gone on at Gatwick for fat end of 24 hours and the powers that be have not detected it yet.

 

[dirktwa]

Guys, this is not a drone. This is a UFO. You know how easy it is to catch a drone?

 

[pross]

Well maybe because nobody found it and there are no images they cant say for certain if its still there.. so they are remaining closed until someone shoots something down..

 

[Vimana]

Gatwick closure just now pushed to 9 PM.

This is unbelievable. Impact on passenger numbers now quoted in the tens of thousands. I can't imagine the repercussions this is going to have on us....

 

[dirktwa]

I was nice knowing you guys. See you around in another hobby.

 

[Gooseman]

We need to be a little bit careful with our comments and analyses, I am sure they'll be (at worst Daily Mail) journalists lurking here, just dying to find something to exaggerate.

 

[Vimana]

Feeling paranoid with that last comment; as I am a newbie and just joined the forum yesterday (before this kicked off - note).

I have been a serious amateur photographer all my life. Special interest in underwater photography. I met a fellow diver who had a MavicAir when I was out in Indonesia earlier this year.

I was quite intrigued by it, especially the Quickshot options, but thought nothing more. Then my wife bought it for me as a surprise birthday present. So now I am on a steep learning curve to make sure I get up to speed safely.

I am NOT a journalist! And certainly don't touch the Daily Mail!

 

[zocalo]

We need to be a little bit careful with our comments and analyses, I am sure they'll be (at worst Daily Mail) journalists lurking here, just dying to find something to exaggerate.

I wish them luck then. We've been pretty united in condemning those responsible and not being unfairly critical of things like NFZs, etc., and it's pretty similar on other forums. Then again, the Daily Hate does seems to take the view that a few bad apples automatically means they're all rotten to the core, so you never know.

On the subject of comments and analysis from drone pilots, I did note that one (David Walker) got a comment in about the current costs of getting formal drone training and PfCO certification in the UK on the BBC's online coverage. Well done, that man!

 

[choo choo]

We need to be a little bit careful with our comments and analyses, I am sure they'll be (at worst Daily Mail) journalists lurking here, just dying to find something to exaggerate.

Well according to the Daily Mail over the last few years we were going to all die of Bird flu, SARS, Ebola, or aids. But as long as house prices kept going up everything is going to be ok.