Gatwick closed (mod note post 1)

H3llR4iser

sugarman wrote: »

...and what happens when if it decides to decides to fly into the propellers?

That would need to be an incredibly powerful and strong drone, in order not only to fly into the downdraft and turbulence of a full size helicopter but to damage it enough to cause it to crash...it would be sizeable enough to be spotted with relative ease; Also, if such a thing is available to the general public...there's a bigger problem than an idiot flying a drone.

If it's the one in the clip attached to this article, it's not hard to spot at all to the naked eye:
https://metro.co.uk/2018/12/20/first-footage-drone-evading-police-helicopters-gatwick-airport-8271026/

The Police did have an helicopter in the air around the airport during the incident anyway; A degree of risk is involved in Police and military operations - Police cars speed to the scene of a crime, even if that means they could crash.

If one really, really, really wants to play devil's advocate, use a feckin' military chopper...are you going to tell me anything this side of a Reaper can bring down an AW Apache?

EDIT: interesting fact - regardless of conspiracy or tinfoil-hat theories, this IS an UFO case in the very definition of "unidentified flying object"

Wheres Me Jumper?

dresden8 wrote: »

Whatever this is, copycats are the real danger now.

i hope not.
i'm off to sunnier climes after me turkey, and i sincerely hope they sort this idiot out pronto.

ED E

Thats probably bigger than what was at Gatwick but I REALLY wouldn't wanna be in any helo that had it strike its tail or main rotor.

H3llR4iser

That's taking the proverbial - something like that would have not only been seen from basically everywhere in the vicinity, there would have been actual UFO sightings reported all around

Usually, the simplest most likely scenario is the correct one: it's some idiot in the vicinity of the airport using a consumer-grade product...and the authorities have been impossibly incompetent in both managing the information flow and finding the mentioned idiot.

Stovepipe

Hi there, H3llr4iser.
Your assertion that the rotor downdraft would simply blow a drone down is wrong. In a previous life, I saw an Alouette after it had been hit by a pigeon, which burst thru the forward airvent mesh and filled the large cabin with guts and feathers. scared the daylights out of the crew and took an awful lot of cleaning. A 2 kg drone could easily damage a helicopter.

galwaytt

this should sort it: https://youtu.be/ffOZMTVeM70

arubex

Wheres Me Jumper? wrote: »

i hope not.
i'm off to sunnier climes after me turkey, and i sincerely hope they sort this idiot out pronto.

If anything's certain after this episode, it's that the drone operator assuredly was NOT an idiot. He was smart, cunning and one step ahead all the way. What he did was inconsiderate but I do tip my hat to his planning and ingenuity.

Inquitus

arubex wrote: »

If anything's certain after this episode, it's that the drone operator assuredly was NOT an idiot. He was smart, cunning and one step ahead all the way. What he did was inconsiderate but I do tip my hat to his planning and ingenuity.

Aye and the smartest thing was he knew when it was time to call it a day, and live to drone another day.

Trampas

Closed again it appears

Jack1985

Operations have just been suspended again due to another drone sighting.

GBX

They must be going mad. Just when things start getting back on track. Very frustrating for everybody.

c.p.w.g.w

Let's hope whoever is behind this, gets caught and gets hammered with lawsuits and serious jail time. I wonder could they throw terror charges at them. How much have airlines and Gatwick lost... Never mind all the passengers who may not get to where they need to get too.

PHG

Whoever it is needs to be strung up. Im sitting on the tarmac in Dublin delayed cause of it and im going to Heathrow. Will now miss the Xmas show we have paid for.

The main issue though is people trying to get to those who are sick, funerals etc. And now cannot. Some scum whoever they are!

Spanish Eyes

Other London airports appear to have systems to avoid drones, apparently LHR has it. Gatwick doesn't. Does Luton, Stansted, London City, Southend, Manchester, Birmingham etc?

Oh dear. This is a nightmare for airports and arrivals and departures now.

Wheres Me Jumper?

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

Let's hope whoever is behind this, gets caught and gets hammered with lawsuits and serious jail time. I wonder could they throw terror charges at them. How much have airlines and Gatwick lost... Never mind all the passengers who may not get to where they need to get too.

i have no doubt he'll be apprehended soon.
morons like this always get caught in the end.

Itssoeasy

Wait it's closed again ? It was open earlier albeit with limited flights in and out. Ah lads they need to find out who this is and give them the old fashioned "damned good trashing"

Wheres Me Jumper?

Wheres Me Jumper? wrote: »

i have no doubt he'll be apprehended soon.
morons like this always get caught in the end.

I'd agree. I'd say he possibly had a clean getaway, by calling it a day at the right time, but has now ruined it for himself.

Spanish Eyes

Nothing to stop the perp from coming back soon, or others who will replicate those actions either.

There is something not quite right here.

Is Gatwick particularly vulnerable to drone attacks in comparison to Heathrow or Stansted, or Luton, or wherever.

faoiarvok

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I'd agree. I'd say he possibly had a clean getaway, by calling it a day at the right time, but has now ruined it for himself.

Unless there’s something very wrong in the perpetrator’s head (which I’m sure plenty will argue based on the existing evidence), he’s well aware that he’ll be caught and seems to be continuing with the action until that happens.

Lends more weight to the idea that this is a protest IMO

Inquitus

https://twitter.com/MiguelDelaney/status/1076174218662944773

ondafly

Has there been any photos of these supposed drones ? Any idea what model they are etc ?

pablo39er

Wheres Me Jumper? wrote: »

morons like this always get caught in the end.

This "moron" has managed to evade legions of police, military and aviation security investigators in one of the most heavily policed and monitored airports and cities in the world, and made them all look like chief wiggum. They may be some environmentalist protest nutters, or some Russian/China propaganda/financial operation to embarrass western technology again, or Islamic terrorism, who will get caught when it suits them for maximum publicity and promotion of their "cause", but one thing is for sure, they are no "moron".

ASOT

Maybe there's no drone at all? Could that be a possibility? As in not a conspiracy but that someone is saying they seen a drone this resulting the the airport being closed as a precaution?

Odelay

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Other London airports appear to have systems to avoid drones, apparently LHR has it. Gatwick doesn't. Does Luton, Stansted, London City, Southend, Manchester, Birmingham etc?

Oh dear. This is a nightmare for airports and arrivals and departures now.

I wonder is a salesman for the drone deterrent systems? Probably trying to close a deal for Christmas?

swampgas

Air traffic control must be under pressure to keep on top of all the incoming flight redirections. I guess it's a very busy time anyway and the stop start disruptions must be aggravating.

Mike9832

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

We can send a man to the moon but cant intercept a flying toy over one of the busiest airports on the planet. Embarrassing now matter which way you spin it...

That was my point with the hit to kill missile system, you see in transformers films

It we have an alien attack we are doomed

Really embarrassing how crap tech the British have

If it was the americans here it would be hugely hugely embarrassing

All those billions money spent on defence and cant take down a bloody drone

johnnyrotten

How dare you assume their gender 😂

faoiarvok wrote: »

Unless there’s something very wrong in the perpetrator’s head (which I’m sure plenty will argue based on the existing evidence), he’s well aware that he’ll be caught and seems to be continuing with the action until that happens.

Lends more weight to the idea that this is a protest IMO

awec

Flights resuming again.

Cazale

Inquitus wrote: »

https://twitter.com/MiguelDelaney/status/1076174218662944773

Delaney claimed Mourinho was going nowhere about 12 hours before he was sacked. He is full of ****.

FrancieBrady

Cazale wrote: »

Delaney claimed Mourinho was going nowhere about 12 hours before he was sacked. He is full of ****.

Two drones???? :eek::eek: