Topic: Gatwick Chaos due to Drones

[Alan_X]

I'm surprised there isn't a thread on this.

Gatwick airport disruption: easyJet cancels all flights today saying 'no indication' when runways will reopen – live

Gavin Williamson confirms military involvement as it is unclear when flights will resume with thousands of passengers facing disruption caused by drones over the runway

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2018/dec/20/gatwick-airport-drone-travel-chaos-disruption-live-updates

And more here:

The drone crackdown: if a trained eagle can't stop them, what will?

Authorities scramble to find ways to tackle drones as Gatwick shutdown highlights lack of progress

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/dec/20/the-drone-crackdown-gatwick-if-a-trained-eagle-cant-stop-them-what-will

[Elmo!]

Reading this bit from the article, why don't they block the signal, and then it'll either spin out of control, or if it flies back to the operator they've just led the police straight to them. I suppose it could be programmed to do something else if its signal is blocked but all possibilities from that seem better than just leaving it in control of the operators. Presumably as it is just a trial the UK police/security services don't have access to that technology.

Other approaches have been trialled that involve jamming the control signal to target drones, usually with a directional antenna, such as the IXI Dronekiller, advertised in April this year. The device sends out high-powered radio waves on the same frequencies as those used to control the drones, blocking the commands from the operator. For cheaper models, that results in the drone simply spinning out of control, while more sophisticated drones know to automatically return to their operator if they lose signal.

[Buggy Eyes Alfredo]

Needs a good guy with an even bigger drone.

Lucy Fisher ✔
@LOS_Fisher

BREAKING: Gavin Williamson has just confirmed to me & other reporters: “We will be deploying the armed forces” at #Gatwick, who will use “unique military capability” to help in the drone crisis.

[CHOPPER]

Was Jose flying out at the time by any chance?

[classycarra]

Needs a good guy with an even bigger drone.

Lucy Fisher ✔
@LOS_Fisher

BREAKING: Gavin Williamson has just confirmed to me & other reporters: “We will be deploying the armed forces” at #Gatwick, who will use “unique military capability” to help in the drone crisis.

Get Japan on the phone

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-35070818

[rob1966]

When they catch the prick, don't prosecute, just publish his picture name and address and leave him to his fate.

[drmick]

Like the volcano we now need RyanAir to test fly a few empty jets through a swarm of drones to prove they are harmless......

[Elmo!]

When they catch the prick, don't prosecute, just publish his picture name and address and leave him to his fate.

Just make them wait in the departure lounge at Gatwick for the combined amount of time of every passengers delays.... 

[Andy82lfc]

Find it really hard to believe that after the first disruptions they were not ready with either a helicopter or drone to track the drone back to where it came from if it happened again.

Now they are fucked because they are in a position where they pretty much know someone is doing this deliberately, so if they say 'ok he has't flown in a few hours' and start the runway again then something happens they will be blamed. What a shit show!

[Alan_X]

Find it really hard to believe that after the first disruptions they were not ready with either a helicopter or drone to track the drone back to where it came from if it happened again.

Now they are fucked because they are in a position where they pretty much know someone is doing this deliberately, so if they say 'ok he has't flown in a few hours' and start the runway again then something happens they will be blamed. What a shit show!

[Iska]

Absolutely incredible story this, so much chaos for so little outlay.

I know nothing about drones, but anyone who does - is it feasible that these are being controlled so remotely that it’s not even from the UK?

[Andy82lfc]

So it just got there or they didn't bother using it? 

[Andy82lfc]

Absolutely incredible story this, so much chaos for so little outlay.

I know nothing about drones, but anyone who does - is it feasible that these are being controlled so remotely that it’s not even from the UK?

In short - yes they can be, but feasible wise nobody has any clue what is going on at the minute so could be anything from a 12 year old to some Russian guy sat in Siberia.

[Elmo!]

Absolutely incredible story this, so much chaos for so little outlay.

I know nothing about drones, but anyone who does - is it feasible that these are being controlled so remotely that it’s not even from the UK?

It would be possible for the person literally with the controls to be in another country, but there would need to be some sort of device locally sending the signal to the drone, unless the drone has a 4G cellular connection but I don't know if that kind of connection would work well with drones (speaking from a high level here, I know nothing about drones).

[Iska]

It would be possible for the person literally with the controls to be in another country, but there would need to be some sort of device locally sending the signal to the drone, unless the drone has a 4G cellular connection but I don't know if that kind of connection would work well with drones (speaking from a high level here, I know nothing about drones).

Say someone hid an iPad and a couple of drones near the perimeter, then took off to, say, Russia, then tried to operate them from there, could that work?  Just as an example, for example.

[Elmo!]

Say someone hid an iPad and a couple of drones near the perimeter, then took off to, say, Russia, then tried to operate them from there, could that work?  Just as an example, for example.

Seems possible to me.

[Andy82lfc]

Say someone hid an iPad and a couple of drones near the perimeter, then took off to, say, Russia, then tried to operate them from there, could that work?  Just as an example, for example.

Yes, you can control them from anywhere with connection and with the right set up, lots of pretty easy apps etc to do it with. Which obviously then throws all kind of scenarios into the mix! But I think the most likely is a few local scallys or someone who's really pissed off with the airlines/airport for some reason. Who knows, absolute crazy situation though!

[J_Kopite]

Just make them wait in the departure lounge at Gatwick for the combined amount of time of every passengers delays.... 

Haha

[rafathegaffa83]

So they can't shoot them down due to issues with the potential stray bullets. Can't they just send up their own drone to knock it down? Or jam its signal?

[Iska]

If it is scallies they’ve got some nerve to still be at it with a manhunt on.  Crazy guy with a grudge though, I could see that.

[Alf]

Somebody at work earlier mentioned a group of school kids going to Greenland for the day, couldn't go because of this.

[rob1966]

So it just got there or they didn't bother using it? 

They have used three crews today to search for the drone and its pilot.

Posted at 18:5818:58
Gatwick disruption: Latest from National Police Air Service
Captain Paul Watts, Chief Pilot and Director of Flight Operations at the National Police Air Service, said: “The National Police Air Service has been involved in helping search the area near Gatwick Airport for the drone pilot and guide police on the ground.

“Sussex Police requested our support shortly after 21:00 GMT on Wednesday, and again this morning at 09:00.

"So far, we have used three helicopter crews, from our NPAS Redhill, NPAS London and NPAS Benson bases.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-sussex-46564814

[Andy82lfc]

If it is scallies they’ve got some nerve to still be at it with a manhunt on.  Crazy guy with a grudge though, I could see that.

Yeah, people with a grudge against an airline wouldn’t be hard to find.

[Alan_X]

So it just got there or they didn't bother using it? 

It's been up and down and in use. The photos of it in the air were from the Daily Mail so I didn't post them. It would probably be relatively easy to shoot them down but these are commercial size and might kill someone if they crashed.

I'm always surprised when you see the size and power of some of these things - things you can buy on line with no checks no licensing as far as I can see. It's ridiculous.

[Andy82lfc]

They have used three crews today to search for the drone and its pilot.

Posted at 18:5818:58
Gatwick disruption: Latest from National Police Air Service
Captain Paul Watts, Chief Pilot and Director of Flight Operations at the National Police Air Service, said: “The National Police Air Service has been involved in helping search the area near Gatwick Airport for the drone pilot and guide police on the ground.

“Sussex Police requested our support shortly after 21:00 GMT on Wednesday, and again this morning at 09:00.

"So far, we have used three helicopter crews, from our NPAS Redhill, NPAS London and NPAS Benson bases.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-sussex-46564814

Sorry mate, my point is that basically soon as it’s spotted they could have had a drone up in the air. All hindsight of course but having helicopters just flying around looking to see if they can spot it on the ground it a bit optimistic. But maybe they did try to follow it but couldn’t get up in time, so maybe they’ll hire a drone operator in future as I imagine getting a helicopter started and across to the sighting isn’t exactly a 30 second job

[I've been a good boy]

So they can't shoot them down due to issues with the potential stray bullets. Can't they just send up their own drone to knock it down? Or jam its signal?

This is what I don't understand. Why not just send a chopper up and shoot down on the drone, so there's no chance of the bullets landing anywhere but the airfield. Even rubber bullets would do the job.

I hope the higher-ups come down hard on whoever's controlling it. No doubt the airlines will sue Gatwick for the millions of £ they've lost already.

EDIT: Just seen Heathrow is also having problem with the IT system at British Airways. The UK really is a joke right now, and they think they're ready for a no deal Brexit yeah right

[rob1966]

Sorry mate, my point is that basically soon as it’s spotted they could have had a drone up in the air. All hindsight of course but having helicopters just flying around looking to see if they can spot it on the ground it a bit optimistic. But maybe they did try to follow it but couldn’t get up in time, so maybe they’ll hire a drone operator in future as I imagine getting a helicopter started and across to the sighting isn’t exactly a 30 second job

They were my thoughts earlier, why don't they have a hunter/killer drone on standby? There are systems in existence that could be used. This highlights that all the UK airports need to get measures in place ASAP.

[redgriffin73]

My brother and his family sat there from about 5.30am this morning until they were told to go home about 6pm, not sure if they'll be able to get another flight until after Christmas now.

[Andy82lfc]

They were my thoughts earlier, why don't they have a hunter/killer drone on standby? There are systems in existence that could be used. This highlights that all the UK airports need to get measures in place ASAP.

Same with everything though, nothing is ever done or put in place until something goes wrong. All they needed was two guys with barely commercial drones on each end of the runway/perimeter fence with a spotter, then follow the drone back to where it came from. All sounds a bit too easy though so you'd surely expect there was some reason they couldn't do that.

[Alan_X]

Same with everything though, nothing is ever done or put in place until something goes wrong. All they needed was two guys with barely commercial drones on each end of the runway/perimeter fence with a spotter, then follow the drone back to where it came from. All sounds a bit too easy though so you'd surely expect there was some reason they couldn't do that.

They’ve been looking at this issue for two years. That article I posted addresses most of the issues. As with most things that are a piece of piss to deal with on the internet, the reality is more complex.

[theredguy03]

I feel for those who are trying to fly out to meet family. All this hassle just because of some utter moron/morons.

[Andy82lfc]

They’ve been looking at this issue for two years. That article I posted addresses most of the issues. As with most things that are a piece of piss to deal with on the internet, the reality is more complex.

Most of those ideas are to get the thing out of the sky. Surely the most simple approach is to get another drone in flight on first sighting then track it back to where it lands. It may not have prevented the drone in the first place but it would stop/find it after it happened.

[Daniel Cabbaggio]

They've confirmed suspects

[rodderzzz]

when was the last time it was spotted? 9am this morning? how long are they going to suspend flights for?

[Andy82lfc]

when was the last time it was spotted? 9am this morning? how long are they going to suspend flights for?

They'll suspend indefinitely as they think someone is doing it on purpose.

Police just said there has been 50 sightings so far today? 50?? Stupid question, the police/airport have actually seen it more than once right? Is that why they haven't been able to track it down as they haven't actually got any sight of it? What a crazy situation.

[Too early for flapjacks?]

Can't they just use counter drones to follow the drone back to base or knock it out of the sky while it's over the airport? All seems very odd that this has been going on for so long.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

This may sound mad but did anyone who worked there get sacked recently and left on bad terms?

[JasonF]

This made me laugh [emoji15]

[Buggy Eyes Alfredo]

Get on the horn to Liz Truss and borrow a few of those barking dogs from the prisons.   

[Zeb]

Get on the horn to Liz Truss and borrow a few of those barking dogs from the prisons.   

Have only just seen that. Is it Kwasi Kwarteng behind her trying to hold it together?