Drones at Gatwick. Airport closed.

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I can't wait to see the defense systems that ultimately get deployed to combat this idiocy. AFAIK the tech exists in spades. It's only a question of what's safest and most affordable to deploy at scale.
 
If they can find the operator, I think that operator should be held responsible for everyone's expenses, airlines, passengers, everyone, as a result of cancellation. Millions of dollars in damages caused by the criminal act of flying a drone that close to an airport (yes, it's a crime in the UK, and here).

The airport and airlines can't take a chance that an airplane will hit a drone, so, they're doing the safe thing. The drone operator(s) know that, and know that their actions will stop flights.
 
Originally Posted by d00df00d
I can't wait to see the defense systems that ultimately get deployed to combat this idiocy. AFAIK the tech exists in spades. It's only a question of what's safest and most affordable to deploy at scale.


Directed energy weapons would be my choice.

But destruction of the drone doesn't go far enough. You have to find, and hold accountable, the operator.

I suspect that motivation is similar to shining lasers at airplanes - the expression of childish anger at noise, or whatever, from aircraft overflight.

But the odds of finding the laser folks are slim, I hope that the drones can be tracked.

A drone hitting an airplane has unknown risks, but it's potentially going to cause a crash. So, the operator is creating a serious risk to passengers and pilots. The laser idiots have no idea that what they're doing can permanently blind a pilot and cause the loss of an airplane.

I'd be OK with summary execution for either drone operators who put airplanes at risk, or those who point lasers at airplanes, and put them at risk, but I don't think the courts will agree with me on that...
 
I would like to see the terrorists severely punished for intentionally disrupting transportation. Drones have been a problem with the air tankers attacking wild land fires. ! While never directly employed in the aircraft industry it is an industry I find amazing and appreciate all the highly, highly skilled people needed to run it.
 
Originally Posted by Astro14
If they can find the operator, I think that operator should be held responsible for everyone's expenses, airlines, passengers, everyone, as a result of cancellation. Millions of dollars in damages caused by the criminal act of flying a drone that close to an airport (yes, it's a crime in the UK, and here).

The airport and airlines can't take a chance that an airplane will hit a drone, so, they're doing the safe thing. The drone operator(s) know that, and know that their actions will stop flights.



Hear, Hear! Drone operator out millions....would love to see that headline!
 
Originally Posted by Astro14
I'd be OK with summary execution for either drone operators who put airplanes at risk, or those who point lasers at airplanes, and put them at risk, but I don't think the courts will agree with me on that...


I'd support attempted murder charges for these clowns, at a bare minimum. Violent and painful execution without trial....I think I'd be on board with that as well. And I am a drone owner and operator.

I moved to a farm in the CVG flight path and have Kalitta and Polar 747's roaring over all day long (and I enjoy it thoroughly, I might add!). And every other type of passenger and cargo plane for that matter. By the time they are over my property they are in the 3000-5000 foot range, and even at that I feel uncomfortable flying my drone more than a couple hundred feet high knowing they are overhead.

I hope they catch these idiot(s) asap. Its hard enough to fly a drone anywhere for any reason without people making comments and snide remarks or assuming you are just spying on them. Idiots like this are going to be the destruction of this and the r/c hobby at a minimum, but much worse there is going to be a plane brought down sooner than later I fear and a lot of innocent people are going to die as a result. Lets just call it murder.

I dont know what the practical solution is, if there is one. The proverbial cat is already out of the bag, good luck getting it back in. For now, at least. Lots of drones out there. And even more idiots.
 
Watching Sky News, it reports that night time curfews or restrictions at other airports have been temporarily lifted to accommodate air traffic congestion.

The varmints who pull this kind of stuff are likely very devious. Whatever their backing or intentions I also hope the full book is thrown at them. Harsh examples need to be made to set the example for future vagrants who want to disrupt or even worse commit acts of terror with these drones.
 
Originally Posted by Lolvoguy
why aren't drones illegal yet?


They are in this context, It is illegal to fly a drone within 1km of an airport in the UK
 
Originally Posted by Lolvoguy
why aren't drones illegal yet?

Nothing wrong with drones.
 
The technology to nuke drones out of the air very likely exists but is still classified and won't be broken out until the problem is way beyond a nuisance.
 
Just use a 1000 watt 2.4ghz transmitter on liek a 30dbi yagi or parabolic and point it at the drone. A couple seconds of +90dbm 1,000,000 watts ERP should nuke the receiver for good if not burn out microcontrollers and ICs.
 
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There is a small city of stranded passengers sitting in the terminals and most of them would love to put hands on this nerd.
I would too were I sitting around waiting for a flight to my intended destination while wishing I had grabbed one of the now unavailable rooms in a nearby hotel.
This incident is also guaranteed to spawn copycats, so a means of neutralizing this threat must be found quickly.
How about contacting the local skeet clubs and offering a bounty for each drone brought down?
Any experienced shotgun hand could easily do this if properly positioned. I love to bring my twelve gauge to bear against some flimsy little drone.
 
Interesting...

None of you are ACTUALLY caught up in the delays at Gatwick. All of you live at least 3,000 miles away from where it's all happening. I'll bet a penny to a pinch of salt most of you have never even been through Gatwick airport before (or even left your home state!).

Yet you all feel it appropriate to call for extreme, apocalytic revenge on the perpetrators regardless of whether this might just be a couple of 14 year olds pratting about like lads do.

It's like BITOG has its own pack of Pavlovian dogs who have been brainwashed into barking & snarling at a specific type of story they see in the media. You think you're all normal. You're not!! The rest of the world looks at you and thinks you're quite mental!
 
SonofJoe ... I have been through there many times and my current ticket is via LHR ... any of the many major airports I go through would turn difficult really fast in a similar situation ...
I was in Newfoundland on 911 and those were some lucky fliers to be helped by such caring folks outside of the airport ... this day and time I no longer leave an airport in London ...
As for the comments here - I live in the southern USA and hear lots of blowhards ... but when something bad happens ... they are the very ones doing this kind of stuff for days ...

Katy_in_Houston.jpg
 
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