Gatwick Flights Suspended Again After Suspected Drone Sighting

[6Foot2]

Link: Gatwick flights suspended again after suspected drone sighting [bBC News]

 

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

 

A spokeswoman for the UK's second biggest 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 area 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...

[DJ-1701]

Gatwick drones: Airport reopens after latest suspension - BBC News

[mikeprice]

I'm glad I'm not in charge to stopping these drones - damn things are fast and small - hitting them with a shotgun would be almost impossible

 

 

When they catch whoever is doing this there will be Police looking through books looking for more stuff to charge them with!

[6Foot2]

Link: Gatwick drones: Two arrested over flight disruption [bBC News]

 

A man and a woman have been arrested in connection with a string of drone sightings which brought Gatwick Airport to a standstill.

 

Sussex Police said the pair were arrested in the area at about 22:00 GMT on Friday.

 

Flights were grounded for more than a day after drones were seen near the runway.

 

Investigations into "criminal use of drones" continued, police said, as they appealed to the public for information.

 

The airport said its runway would be open on Saturday, but urged passengers to check the status of their flight before travelling to the airport.

 

Supt James Collis said officers remained at Gatwick, ready to "detect and mitigate" further drone flights by deploying a range of tactics...

[elsiegee40]

Link: Gatwick drones: Two arrested over flight disruption [bBC News]

I can't help feeling that the police may have ruining someone's Christmas in mind...

 

Let's hope they have the right people. And that they aren't part of a group.

[mikeprice]

I'm amazed that they continued to disrupt Gatwick - If they had moved around to different places the Police (plus whoever) would have a massive problem

 

SO - hopefully it was just a bunch of idiots and not an organised group

[Arthur]

It's interesting that the drone used is only available from a few retailers in the UK.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/dec/22/gatwick-drone-arrests-two-people-held-over-disruption-of-airport

 

In a move known as "buzzing the tower", it emerged the perpetrator had taunted airport staff by circling the drone around the building and flashing its lights, an industry source told The Telegraph.

 

A detailed description of the drone, provided by witnesses, meant experts were able to determine the make and model of the machine, which is only available from a handful of locations in the UK.

 

It is thought the attacker could be a lone-wolf eco-warrior, but Chris Grayling, the Transport Secretary, and senior detectives also said they had not ruled out that a foreign state could be behind the attack.

 

hitting them with a shotgun would be almost impossible

I think the Army used a Drone Dome at Gatwick.

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/12/22/gatwick-airport-drone-chaos-man-woman-arrested-passengers-brace

 

One piece of equipment believed to have been deployed at the airport is the Israeli-developed Drone Dome system, which can detect drones using radar.

 

It can also jam communications between the drone and its operator, enabling authorities to take control of and land the drone.

 

The crisis has developed into a political row, with the Government being accused of failing to approve cutting-edge technology.

 

Chris Grayling, the Transport Secretary, said: "This is an entirely new kind of threat and we're going to have to move very quickly.

 

"One of the things I intend to do very quickly indeed is convene discussions across all our airports. There are some systems now beginning to be introduced in some airports across the world that can have some impact."

Edited December 22, 2018 by Arthur

[6Foot2]

Link: Gatwick drones pair 'no longer suspects' [bBC News]

 

A man and woman arrested in connection with drone sightings that grounded flights at Gatwick Airport have been released without charge.

 

The 47-year-old man and 54-year-old woman, from Crawley, West Sussex, were arrested on Friday night on suspicion of "the criminal use of drones".

 

Sussex Police said the pair were no longer suspects.

 

A damaged drone found close to the airport on Saturday was being forensically examined, the force added.

 

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...

[6Foot2]

Link:

[Text Tweet]

 

 

Link 2: Grayling put drone law on hold before Gatwick chaos [The Times paywalled article]

[mikeprice]

Whoops

 

To be honest - where I live sometimes the planes for Liverpool Airport fly pretty much right over head - and we are quite a way from the runway - so if I had a decent drone I could get it up to the flight path with no problem.

So the current limits are far too lenient

[6Foot2]

Link: Gatwick drone police say 'there may never have been a drone at all' [The Mirror]

 

There might never have been drone activity over Gatwick Airport, the police have said.

 

Flights were suspended for more than 36 hours when a device was reported to have been seen close to the runway on Wednesday night.

 

But Sussex Police are keeping an open mind in the investigation and said there might 'not have been any genuine drone activity in the first place'.

 

Paul Gait, 47, and Elaine Kirk-Gait, 54, were released without charge this morning after being arrested at their Crawley home, near the airport, on Friday.

 

Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley said: "We are also going through many reports of sightings of drone activity over the last few days...

[6Foot2]

Link: Gatwick Airport drone sightings may have been of police equipment, chief constable admits [The Telegraph]

 

Some of the drone sightings which kept Gatwick airport on lockdown for 36 hours may have been reports of Sussex Police's aircraft, the force's Chief Constable has admitted.

 

Police received 115 reports of sightings in the area, including 92 which have been confirmed as coming from "credible people", Sussex Police's Chief Constable Giles York said.

 

But the force launched its own drone to search for what officers believed at the time to be malicious aircraft deliberately being flown above the airfield to intentionally force the airport to shut down...

 

Full article behind Telegraph paywall.

 

These are the same people who are 'securing' our borders after Brexit, at GREAT expense!

[6Foot2]

Link: Severn Bridge shuts as drone flown from tower [bBC News]

 

A main route between England and Wales was closed after a man climbed a bridge and flew a drone from the top.

 

Traffic was stopped on the M48 - the older of two Severn crossings - because of "concern for welfare," police said.

 

The man, in his 20s, came down voluntarily from the 47m (154ft) bridge tower and was arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance.

 

Highways England said it was deeply concerned and that "a person has put their life at serious risk".

 

"The incident was quickly spotted on our security cameras and reported to police and thankfully there was no injury or worse on this occasion," it said.

 

"Appropriate security is in place on the bridge, we are liaising with Avon and Somerset Police and will be undertaking investigations to determine if any damage was caused during the incident."

 

Police said: "Officers attended the M48 Severn Bridge at 08:10 this morning after concerns were raised for a man who appeared to have climbed one of the towers and was flying a drone off it."

 

The original Severn Bridge opened in 1966 and until recently was a toll road, but it is now free to cross.

 

Drone activity recently caused the closure of Gatwick Airport for several days.

 

About 1,000 flights were affected during the chaos between 19 and 21 December when drones were seen near the runway.

[stevejp]

Link: Severn Bridge shuts as drone flown from tower [bBC News]

 

'Right, you lot, come on. We'll sit here until we get the truth - and into your break and lunchtimes as well, if necessary. Which of you young edugeekers was it, eh? Come on, we haven't got all day. We know some of you younger ones are into these so-called drones, so which of you was it? Who's been out celebrating New Year a bit too early, eh? If I have to call your parents, you know I will. It would be a shame to have to punish everyone for one person's mistake. Remember, punishments are always more severe if you don't tell the truth straight away. It will be detention for all of you if the culprit doesn't own up immediately...'

Edited December 31, 2018 by stevejp

[6Foot2]

Link: UK drone company Australia-bound after Game of Thrones security success [The Age]

 

WARNING: Spoilers (if you are among the few who haven't watched Game of Thrones yet)

 

The man who used to shoot down drones on the set of global hit television series Game of Thrones is setting up operation in Australia, planning to offer his services to our security agencies.

 

The UK security specialist successfully kept a closely guarded secret for about a year about lead character Jon Snow by eradicating the prying eyes of paparazzi drones looking to spoil the cliffhanger plot from season five.

 

Now Irishman Andrew McQuillan is taking steps to bring his leading aviation technology to Australia, opening the door to a potential partnership with Victoria Police’s counter terrorism operations after he presented to officers while in Melbourne recently.

 

The Crowded Space Drones director has worked alongside UK police and the FBI and was called in to help solve the Gatwick airport drone saga last month...

[Arthur]

Heathrow and Gatwick invest millions in anti-drone technology

 

The UK’s largest airports are set to spend millions of pounds on anti-drone equipment, the Guardian understands, as they seek to protect themselves from future attacks like that which grounded about 1,000 flights into and out of Gatwick airport during the Christmas period.

 

The country’s two busiest hubs – London’s Heathrow and Gatwick – have brought in their own military-grade anti-drone apparatus. The owners of both airports invested millions of pounds in the equipment after about 140,000 passengers were affected by the unprecedented disruption to Gatwick.

 

The military had to be called amid a series of reported drone sightings over the course of three days, and it is believed that the Israeli-developed Drone Dome system, which can detect and jam communications between a drone and its operator, was deployed.

 

While it would not say exactly what equipment had been installed since then, a spokeswoman for Gatwick said the airport’s owners had bought a system that provided a similar level of protection and had installed it about a week ago. Heathrow’s spokeswoman also confirmed that the reports of investment in military-grade anti-drone equipment at that airport, which first appeared in the Times on Thursday, were accurate.

 

[...]

 

Some reports of drones in the area may have involved the police’s own craft, he said, but he added that he was “absolutely certain” that a drone was flying near the airport’s runways during the three-day disruption. Police are still searching for those responsible.

[DJ-1701]

Heathrow and Gatwick invest millions in anti-drone technology

 

......

[Arthur]

Police to get new powers to tackle illegal drone use

 

Police will be given new powers to tackle the illegal use of drones, the government has announced.

 

The area around airports where drones are banned from flying will also be extended, and from 30 November operators of drones between 250g and 20kg will need to be registered.

 

Labour said action on drones should have been taken years ago.

 

[...]

 

New legislation will give police additional powers to land drones and require users to produce the appropriate documentation.

 

They will also be able to search premises and seize drones - including the electronic data stored within the device - where a serious offence has been committed and a warrant is secured.

 

For minor drone offences, police will be able to issue fixed-penalty notices, with fines of up to £100 for offences such as failing to comply with an officer when instructed to land a drone or not showing the registration required to operate a drone.

 

Registered drone users will also need to take an online competency test.

 

I doubt this will make any difference?

[Achandler]

Of course it won't but for the next 5 years we can now hear how they are super devoted to tackling this super serious issue and it was them who brought in some unenforceable legislation that will probably never be used.

[Andrew_C]

it was them who brought in some unenforceable legislation that will probably

only ever be used for locking up a peaceful protestor that has got under the skin of the govt.

[mikeprice]

Your average person who has a drone as a toy will just ignore these rules - even if they know they exist. If they happen to live near an airport they will still ignore them. Here there is a large estate close to the approach to the airport - and also a nice deserted riverside area running along the length of the runway - I suspect local people will fly their drones there and not realise it could be a problem - because 'I know what I am doing'

 

In fact - aircraft fly overhead here quite often - I am sure I could get a drone up to their height - which is why I have never considered getting one

[6Foot2]

Link: Departures at Heathrow have been stopped after a drone was sighted, the airport has said. [bBC News]

 

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

 

A Heathrow spokeswoman said they were working with police to "prevent any threat to operational safety".

 

She said: "As a precautionary measure, we have stopped departures while we investigate. We apologise to passengers for any inconvenience this may cause."

 

It comes after last month's disruption at Gatwick Airport after drones were reported...

 

Here we go again...

[6Foot2]

Link: Gatwick drone attack could have been inside job, say police [The Guardian]

 

The drone attack that brought Gatwick airport to a standstill last December could have been an “inside job”, according to police, who said the perpetrator may have been operating the drone from within the airport.

 

Sussex police told BBC Panorama that the fact an insider may have been behind the attack was “treated as a credible line of enquiry from the earliest stages of the police response”.

 

Gatwick’s chief operating officer, Chris Woodroofe, believes the perpetrator was familiar with the airport’s operational procedures and had a clear view of the runway or possibly infiltrated its communication network.

 

“It was clear that the drone operators had a link into what was going on at the airport,” he told Panorama, in his first interview since the incident...