jamming trial

[old man mavic]

hi to all my fellow flyers just received an alert from CAA skywise a jamming trial affecting UAS command and control and GNSS reception will take place 22nd -23rd August near Sennybridge training area South Wales the activity may affectUAV command and control (433MHz,2.4GHz,5.8GHz) up to 1000ft AMSL,within the area bounded by 522112N-0049575W _522112N-0025925W _514405N-0025925W _514405N-0045975W (South Powys ,South Ceredigion ,Carmathenshire ,and Pembrokeshire ) activity restricted to daylight hours

 

[dtp]

Ditto...

 

[gnirtS]

Yep. They've done it a few times in the north of England ranges too. Its not THAT uncommon.
This one is also about 7 miles from my house.

This one is *not* appearing on the Drone Assist app either although it should.

 

[gnirtS]

Looks like multiple trials. NOTAM reads:

GNSS SIGNAL JAMMING TRIAL. GND JAMMERS LOCATED WI 3NM RADIUS PSN
520053N 0033831W (SENNYBRIDGE, POWYS). ACTIVITY MAY AFFECT ACFT WI
122NM RADIUS OF SITE. EMERGENCY CEASE JAM CONTACT 01874 635599 OR
01980 957597. DURING TRIAL GNSS REC MAY SUFFER INTERMITTENT/TOTAL
FAILURE, OR GIVE INCORRECT PSN INFO. CREWS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THESE
LIMITATIONS AND USE ALT MEANS OF NAV. SFC- 40000FT AMSL.

So GPS unreliable for up to 122nm (for a/c at altitude though).
Looks like the army are having some fun EW exercises. Deliberate 433 / 2.4 and 5.8GHz drone command link jamming and larger scale GPS disruption.

 

[RBacio]

Brits love their jam! XD

 

[Big buzzer]

Does that mean a drone might not find its way home due to loss of GPS signal as well as the control signal? Could a magic find its way back by dead reckon ing using its inr tail guidance system?

 

[gnirtS]

No GPS no return home.
No command link and no GPS its in ATTI mode and it'll just drift on the wind before power forces an auto land.
Or if the command link is active (as DJI already lied about link security on telemetry) then they just control it and fly it wherever they want.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Unless this sort of thing appears on the country's official app for where flying is permitted or not(Drone Assist ?). surely this is a dangerous way to perform this type of drone blocking . . . for all concerned ? ( . . . any of the public in the area, military personnel, the drone operators wallet !)

 

[Meta4]

Looks like multiple trials. NOTAM reads:
...
So GPS unreliable for up to 122nm (for a/c at altitude though).
Looks like the army are having some fun EW exercises. Deliberate 433 / 2.4 and 5.8GHz drone command link jamming and larger scale GPS disruption.

Where did you find mention of drone command link jamming?
It's not in the NOTAM: NOTAM interpreted | NOTAM Info

 

[gnirtS]

Where did you find mention of drone command link jamming?
It's not in the NOTAM: NOTAM interpreted | NOTAM Info

Correct. Its not NOTAMed but CAA Skywise sent a bulletin email.
Drone jamming isnt going to affect aircraft in that area i guess hence why it wasnt put into one.

Jamming trial affecting UAS command & control and GNSS reception - SkyWise

Jamming activity will take place 22nd – 23rd August 2019 near the Sennybridge training area, South Wales. The activity may affect UAV command and control (433MHz, 2.4GHz, 5.8GHz) up to 1000FT AMSL within the area bounded by 522112N 0045975W – 522112N 0025925W – 514405N 0025925W – 514405N...

skywise.caa.co.uk

Jamming activity will take place 22nd – 23rd August 2019 near the Sennybridge training area, South Wales.

The activity may affect UAV command and control (433MHz, 2.4GHz, 5.8GHz) up to 1000FT AMSL within the area bounded by 522112N 0045975W – 522112N 0025925W – 514405N 0025925W – 514405N 0045975W (South Powys, South Ceredigion, Carmathenshire, and Pembrokeshire).

During the trials UAS command and control systems may suffer intermittent or total failure. GNSS Jamming will also take place as part of this activity under AIC P 110/2019.

Activity restricted to daylight hours.

For further information contact [email protected]

Emergency cease jamming contact: 01874635599

SW2019/166

Thats one issue with the disjointed structure here at the moment. The Drone Assist app you have to use will tell you airspace restrictions but it doesnt link to Skywise which gives important but non NOTAMed information so you end up having to check both. (Don't bother with the Skywise App - it hasnt worked or had a single bulletin showing for months).
Theres no joined up way or "one stop shop" for flight information in an area yet.

I just plotted the coordinates on the map and its a massive area:-


Its 80 miles across and 40 miles wide covering the vast majority of the populated areas of South Wales, well outside military ranges.
That could conceivably cause plenty of legit drone users issues if they didnt get the email or whatever.

The last one of these took place in February in Norfolk (STANTA) but a much smaller area, 13nm and 20nm depending on band. That one also stated "The activity is restricted to 5 occurrences per hour, and no longer than 2 minutes in duration "

 

[old man mavic]

@gnirtS i find it strange that your skywise app is not working i get alerts all the time this alert is on the app and came via e mail as well maybe you need to reload the app

 

[gnirtS]

Ive got the app installed on 3 android devices (and have removed/readded) and none of them have had any updates at all in several months. Even clean installs.

 

[old man mavic]

Ive got the app installed on 3 android devices (and have removed/readded) and none of them have had any updates at all in several months. Even clean installs.

maybe its an android issue im on ios i have also got it on my computer

 

[Mike4884]

"vampire crash site".....?

 

[gnirtS]

"vampire crash site".....?

Grid references i had in from hike planning.



Exactly what it says on the tin.