Drones and airports

[hatcheckgirl]

Although this incident at Gatwick airport began on Wednesday, and the airport has since reopened, it makes one think how precarious things are getting when doing everyday things, like travelling on a plane, can be disrupted like this.  The police have said it is not terrorist related, but it may one day be used that way.  Interference of air travel is akin to hacking a computer network in the disruption it brings to our society.  And how easy was it to do.

 

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/man-and-woman-held-over-gatwick-airport-drone-chaos-as-flights-resume?cx_cid=edm:newswe:2019

 

Though it seems that two people have been caught and are being investigated (and they are not teens), there is a fear that this is not the end of it.

 

Police said on Friday that is was possible that multiple people were operating the drones, as they believe multiple drones are being used, PA reported.

Speaking on Friday, chief executive of the airport Stewart Wingate said the drone flights were "highly targeted" and have "been designed to close the airport and bring maximum disruption in the run-up to Christmas.

"These events obviously highlight a wider strategic challenge for aviation in this country which we need to address together with speed - the aviation industry, Government and all the other relevant authorities," the PA quoted Wingate as saying.

[New World Explorer]

I like drones a lot , played with Phantom 3...but I would never go with it near airport.

In fact some of the newer models have "software blockage pre-installed" - (I have read this on drone forums) forbidding them to fly near airports. 

[Hippo]

It's strange that the authorities called it not an act of terrorism. The drones closed an airport for a day. Causing misery to thousands of travellers. 

[Brother Arellano]

Things like this is why many municipalities are making launching of drones illegal. Personally I enjoy playing with drones but like anything else they are subject to misuse. 

[hatcheckgirl]

It seems that those drones were modified so they could evade the police radar (??) Like I said, The you weren’t kids. Two adults in their 40s and 50s with some malificent agenda.

[Qapla]

Perhaps they were atheists trying to disrupt peoples Christmas   ... and, of course, since being atheist and/or LGBT is popular, they wouldn't want to label it as "terrorist" or extremest

[pnutts]

27 minutes ago, Qapla said:

Perhaps they were atheists trying to disrupt peoples Christmas

I thought that too. However maybe they were tired of all the noisy planes flying over their place. 🙉

[Tortuga]

I'm surprised there aren't more anti drone devices available. 

Shotguns and nets probably wouldn't be effective. 

Sonic blasters or frequency jammers are more likely. 

Or, they could go green and release massive amounts of flying bugs that are attracted to the sound of a drone..

[Old]

The two adults that were arrsted have been released, the authorities are still searching for the culprit(s).

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-46665615

[Brother Arellano]

3 hours ago, Tortuga said:

I'm surprised there aren't more anti drone devices available. 

Shotguns and nets probably wouldn't be effective. 

Sonic blasters or frequency jammers are more likely. 

Or, they could go green and release massive amounts of flying bugs that are attracted to the sound of a drone..

A lot of the things you suggested exist. But because of cost are mainly owned by private corporations. Including anti-drone drones. 

[pnutts]

I thought they brought in Israeli Military anti-drone stuff.

Edited December 23, 2018 by pnutts

[Bluebell]

...and again......hope it will not happen when we fly to Perth, Australia  in few weeks....

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46803713

 

Departures at Heathrow have been stopped after a drone was sighted, the airport says.