Gatwick Airport: Drone sightings trigger disruption

Enterprise_1701C

It's a shame, they had on The One Show a British company that is capable of creating a virtual wall around Gatwick, but it apparently can't be used because it would be classed as interfering with aircraft. They need to get that sorted.

My guess this is some sort of green protest. If they find out it was an organisation like that then they should be forced to compensate all those that had their flights disrupted. The more planes are used the more likely they are to research and develop green alternatives, it makes sense for companies to cut out as many costs as they can, that includes the cost of fuel, which would therefore decrease the carbon footprint.

50Twuncle

Enterprise_1701C wrote: »

It's a shame, they had on The One Show a British company that is capable of creating a virtual wall around Gatwick, but it apparently can't be used because it would be classed as interfering with aircraft. They need to get that sorted.

My guess this is some sort of green protest. If they find out it was an organisation like that then they should be forced to compensate all those that had their flights disrupted. The more planes are used the more likely they are to research and develop green alternatives, it makes sense for companies to cut out as many costs as they can, that includes the cost of fuel, which would therefore decrease the carbon footprint.

Thats a simple GEOFENCE - Which these gits can bypass with a simple mod of the software !

littlerock

Are they unable to track the drones. Do they really have no idea where they were launched and collected? If so, it does not bode well for airport security. Last year I watched an online stream of the snow falling at a well known German airport ,,( I am a keen weather watcher!) There were several different fixed cameras with different views. Are there no CCtVs watching the runway?

50Twuncle

littlerock wrote: »

Are they unable to track the drones. Do they really have no idea where they were launched and collected? If so, it does not bode well for airport security. Last year I watched an online stream of the snow falling at a well known German airport ,,( I am a keen weather watcher!) There were several different fixed cameras with different views. Are there no CCtVs watching the runway?

There will be dozens / hundreds of CCTV cameras watching the airport - but the drones move with such speed that they will simply flash past any view - and unless someone is watching a particular camera at the time and is able to both focus the shot and follow the drone, then they are unable to see anything of any use !!
They need automatic tracking cameras (which may or maynot help) but do such items exist at Gatwick ?

Heliflyguy

Do you really think that these drones are passing so close to every camera so as no images can be taken?

How fast do you think drones fly lol. do you not know movies can be slowed down to show a single frame or 2 all be it a bit blurred.

It is very odd that for all the alleged sightings not 1 image or video is available as far as my search has come up with.

Found one....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-46646741/gatwick-shutdown-is-this-the-drone-that-caused-the-chaos

newatc

Clearly the airport/government were embarrassingly (for them and the country generally) poorly prepared for this type of event.
I hope they catch and punish severely the culprit but ultimately he may have done us all a service in waking up the government/airports.

Westin

50Twuncle wrote: »

There will be dozens / hundreds of CCTV cameras watching the airport - but the drones move with such speed that they will simply flash past any view - and unless someone is watching a particular camera at the time and is able to both focus the shot and follow the drone, then they are unable to see anything of any use !!
They need automatic tracking cameras (which may or maynot help) but do such items exist at Gatwick ?

I expect the investment and all CCTV cameras are all trained on the Set Down Lanes at the terminal entrance roadways. That way they can focus on the real pressing airport issue of drivers stopping in the Set Down lanes to pick up passengers rather than use the over priced car parks for a quick 5 minute collection.

worldtraveller

Flights at Gatwick have been suspended again due to a new "suspected drone sighting".

A spokeswoman for the airport said: "We are just hearing a report of another drone sighting that we are investigating.

"As we look into it we have taken the precaution of suspending flights."

Aircraft have been circling above the airport as they are currently unable to land. Details are still coming in on the "suspected rogue drone".

The sighting reportedly occurred at about 17:10 GMT.

The Ministry of Defence has not confirmed the sighting but Sussex Police said its officers were investigating.

BBC News

worldtraveller

Flight Update

Gatwick has temporarily suspended flights while we investigate reports of a drone in the area. We will update with more information as soon as we can.

Gatwick Airport

Thomas_Crown

Breaking News at 1845 Hrs, the suspension of fights at Gatwick has been lifted.