Gatwick flights suspended after reports of drones over runway

[Agustine]

Gatwick airport remains closed on Thursday morning after another sighting of drones over the runway just after 7am, causing disruption to thousands of passengers that is likely to last at least another 24 hours.

Gatwick flights suspended after reports of drones over runway

 

[IM35461]

After hassle at Gatwick Airport I think our UK drone flying days may be even more numbered

Flights suspended by drones at Gatwick

I can't imagine this was a normal drone/s but we will all get the blame.

 

[olderpilot]

can't understand the bright light coming from the so called drone.
drones in the uk will now be hated by the public .

 

[Liger 1956]

This has been going on since about 21:00 last night according to the BBC

"The shutdown started just after 21:00 on Wednesday when two drones were spotted being flown over the airfield. The runway was briefly reopened at about 03:01, the airport said, but forced to close again about 45 minutes later amid "a further sighting of drones".

In my view it is either not a drone but some other UFO or somebody is doing it on purpose to disrupt the airport as people do not normally fly in the dead of night.

There is a phone video on YouTube

That appears to show a light in the sky that is moving but it is difficult to judge how far away it is. I would have thought that a heat seeking camera would have been able to pick it up and lead Police to the pilot when they land to change batteries. Time MAY tell what really happened.

 

[jnm_twin]

I suppose Anafi owners wont be to blame as who's Anafi is still flying after the latest upgrade?

 

[Liger 1956]

From the BBC website:
"Sussex Police said it was not terror-related but a "deliberate act" of disruption.
Dr Alan McKenna, from the University of Kent, said the drones appeared to be "of an industrial size" not "one you can buy from the shops"."

If that is the case then somebody or organisation is trying to make a point and succeeding very well. I would have thought that they would have been caught by now.

 

[Landbo]

From the BBC website:
"Sussex Police said it was not terror-related but a "deliberate act" of disruption.
Dr Alan McKenna, from the University of Kent, said the drones appeared to be "of an industrial size" not "one you can buy from the shops"."

If that is the case then somebody or organisation is trying to make a point and succeeding very well. I would have thought that they would have been caught by now.

I wonder that the police are not able to follow the mentioned drones with their helicopters with heat-seeking cameras to see where they landed and thus find the pilots or at least grab the drones when they was landed.

I think there is something missing in the history to be true.

Regards Leif.

 

[ROBANAFI]

Looks like a proper video of the drone:

Gatwick Airport chaos: Police send in SNIPERS to shoot down drone | Daily Mail Online

Doesn't look like a standard drone though. possibly homemade?

 

[ROBANAFI]

Well this is the timeline in case according to The Daily DOOM sorry i mean "The Daily Mail"

9pm, December 19: Drone is first spotted by airport staff hovering near the runway causing flights to be grounded or diverted.

9.15pm: It appears again leading Gatwick bosses to believe it is a deliberate act.

9.30pm - midnight: The drone is seen at least five more times in that period

3.01am, December 20: Airport re-opens its runway after the all clear is given

3.45am: Drone is seen again and flights are again grounded

7am: Small unmanned aircraft appears again

9am: Last sighting of the drone as police start hunting perimeter of the airport

Midday: Police are unable find the drone pilot despite it appearing again at lunchtime with Gatwick saying all flights are grounded until at least 4pm

2pm: Airport admits it has 'no idea' when it will re-open as police struggle to find the pilot

3pm: The drone is spotted again as it buzzes across Gatwick's runway. It was just minutes after airport bosses announced they had hoped to re-open at 4pm

5pm: Ministry of Defence confirms that it is using specialist equipment to seek out the drone

 

[Czolgy]

I find it hard to believe that they were unable to stop/jam and or track these "aircraft".
Something doesn't smell right.
I'm with Leif on this.

 

[Agustine]

A few reasons why cops haven't immediately shot down London Gatwick airport drone menace

 

[AugerIn]

oh man, they actually used an Anafi in the infographic!

 

[Agustine]

Well they are claiming they caught two guys but no pictures of the UAV's they used and not much info other then catching two people.
Cops arrest 2 for 'criminal use of drones' after Gatwick airport chaos

 

[Liger 1956]

The couple have been released and are no longer suspects.
The hunt continues.
Gatwick drones pair 'no longer suspects'

 

[Landbo]

The couple have been released and are no longer suspects.
The hunt continues.
Gatwick drones pair 'no longer suspects'

Quote: "Det Ch Supt Jason Tingley said it was "a working assumption" the device could be connected to their investigation, but officers were keeping "an open mind".

"We are also going through many reports of sightings of drone activity over the last few days," he said.

"We are meticulously going through that information to see if that produces any other further lines of inquiry, and also where we may focus our efforts in terms of house-to-house inquiries, CCTV footage, and any other information that will help us work through this investigation."

He added there was "always a possibility that there may not have been any genuine drone activity in the first place", but they were working on a range of information from members of the public, police officers and staff working at Gatwick who had reported otherwise."

Do I read between the lines a mass hysteria ???

List of mass hysteria cases - Wikipedia

Regards Leif.

 

[Agustine]

"How many holes do you have to have in a bucket before it'll hold no water"

This story is full of holes

Glad they were released. And if the police are going to just start arresting random RC enthusiasts and accusing them unless they can provide an alibi, it's a scary time to be a drone hobbyist in England. I have sometimes worried the US drone registry might be used in the same way.

 

[Skydreamer]

The report says the military got involved,they used anti drone equipment?????.....US airport security and prison guards already have equipment to take gps drones down....not sure about canada but in my opinion countrys like UK and France should have such equipment.

 

[Agustine]

 

[Skydreamer]

BBC is saying that they found damaged drone,forensics a currently looking into it...well,my UK friends,you can expect to pay price for this mess,new rulles are coming

 

[Landbo]

BBC is saying that they found damaged drone,forensics a currently looking into it...well,my UK friends,you can expect to pay price for this mess,new rulles are coming

Good advice, never believe in a media that have make its money on clickbait. They invent something themselves to exaggerate there stories. Why does the information about the found drone not come directly from the UK police ???

You don't have to be scared. The Uk people have got/will get new rules in 2019 like we others here in the EU. Here in Denmark we already have registration of RC pilots in the same way as many other EU countries. It doesn't matter to me when I fly according to my country's rules. But I can see that it is a big problem for the pilots who cannot find out and comply with the rules they are subject to. Remember you will never get more freedom than the one you want to take responsibility for.

Fly safe, Leif.